Billy Newsome
William Ray Newsome (born March 2, 1948) is a former American football defensive end in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Grambling State University.
| No. 81, 87, 78 | |
| Born: | March 2, 1948 Jacksonville, Texas, United States |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Defensive end |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| Weight | 250 lb (110 kg) |
| College | Grambling State |
| NFL draft | 1970 / Round: 5 / Pick: 122 |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1970–1972 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1973–1974 | New Orleans Saints |
| 1975–1976 | New York Jets |
| 1977 | Chicago Bears |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career stats | |
| Interceptions | 3 |
| INT yards | 20 |
| INT TDs | 1 |
| Fumble recoveries | 8 |
| Games started | 77 |
Newsome was involved in one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history in 1973 when he was dealt by the Colts to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 2 overall selection in the 1973 NFL Draft, which the Saints earned by virtue of their 2-11-1 record in 1972. The Colts used the pick to select quarterback Bert Jones, a Louisiana native who played at LSU.
The Saints were previously fleeced by the Colts prior to the 1967 NFL draft, when New Orleans traded the first overall pick to Baltimore for quarterback Gary Cuozzo. The Colts used the gift pick to select Michigan State All-American Bubba Smith, who was a teammate of Newsome's in 1970 and 1971.