Bio

Jerome Woods was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs franchise
with the 28th overall pick in the opening round of the 1996
National Football League (NFL) Draft following a pair of stellar
seasons at the University of Memphis (Tenn.).
The Memphis, Tenn., product moved into a starting role at free
safety during the 1997 campaign. He was recognized as the
American Football Conference (AFC) Defensive Player of the Week
in the Chiefs’ week five triumph over Seattle and was also picked
as the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November.
Woods started in 79 consecutive contests as a defensive back for
the Chiefs over a five-year period from 1997-2001. He racked up
415 tackles with eight interceptions, seven forced fumbles and
three sacks during the heart of his tenure in Kansas City.
The Melrose (Tenn.) High School graduate missed the entire 2002 campaign with an injury that threatened to
end his career. But Woods returned to the Chiefs better than ever one year later with 76 takedowns, including
58 solo tackles, plus four forced turnovers to earn his first-ever selection to the Pro Bowl.
Woods was a three-way tool that saw time offensively, defensively and on special teams while at Northeast
from 1992-93. He garnered All-Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) first-team
recognition after finishing third in the league with 77 tackles.
He was just as explosive during his two-year stint at Memphis. Woods totaled 219 tackles, including 120 stops
during a senior campaign in which he was the Independent Defensive Player of the Year and a Football News
All-American second-team selection.
He was inducted into the Memphis M-Club Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Northeast Sports Hall of Fame in
2018.