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Who is Willie McGinest?
Willie McGinest is one of those well-known names in sports and entertainment. Willie McGinest is a three-time Super Bowl champion as well as a two-time Pro Bowl selection. Only a few people on this planet are fortunate enough to have multiple skills.
They dabble in various disciplines and are fortunate enough to succeed in some of them.
As a result, he is a former American football linebacker who spent 15 seasons in the NFL.
Not to add he is also an analyst, philanthropist, and business tycoon.
He is a father of three and a devoted husband.
Willie is a three-time Super Bowl champion as well as a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Not only that, but he received numerous more medals and honors throughout the height of his career. We will reveal everything.
But, before we delve into his past, let’s take a brief look at Wille McGinest’s quick facts.
Childhood
Willie McGinest Jr. was born in Long Beach, California on December 11, 1971, to parents Willie and Joyce McGinest.
He had two sisters and a brother. And he was the second one.
He also attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where he excelled in basketball and football.
McGinest was also named all-state in basketball and football.
But, as time passed, he began to focus more of his attention on football.
Along with his father
In terms of high school accomplishments, he received All-American honors from Super Prep, Blue Chip, and Tom Lemming magazines.
There’s a lot more to it.
In 1989, he was named to several all-star teams and earned all-city, all-state, and all-region honors as a linebacker.
Willie finished his senior year with 107 tackles, 18 sacks, two fumble recoveries, four passes defended, and four kicks blocked.
Furthermore, he was named “Best in the West” by the Long Beach Press-Telegram, as well as All-CIF Southern Section and all-league accolades while scoring 14 points per game the same season.
College Experience
Moving on to his college career, he played football at the University of Southern California from 1993 to 1994.
He chose Jersey number 55.
McGinest earned all-conference accolades and an All-American award three years in a row.
He was also named to the Pac-10 Conference All-Star team.
He started every event for the Trojans as a weakside defensive end.
Aside from sports, the athletic linebacker excelled in football and earned a degree in Public Administration from the same university in 1994.
In his senior year, he was also a Lombardi Award finalist.
He finished his college career with 193 tackles (134 solos), 29 sacks (171 yards), and 48 tackles for loss (238 yards).
More Facts about Willie McGinest
| Full Name | William Lee McGinest, Jr. |
| Birth Date | December 11, 1971 |
| Birth Place | Long Beach, California |
| Nick Name | Willie Mac |
| Religion | Not Known |
| Nationality | African-American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Education | University of Southern California |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Father’sName | Willie McGinest |
| Mother’sName | Joyce McGinest |
| Siblings | Eddie McGinest (Brother)Linda McGinest (Sister)
Felix McGinest (Brother) |
| Age | 50 Years Old |
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft. 5 in.) |
| Weight | 270 lb (122 kg) |
| High School | Long Beach Polytechnic High School |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Build | Athlete |
| Marital Status | Married to Gloriana Clark |
| Children | Hallie, Hanna, and Rylie McGinest |
| Position | Outside Linebacker |
| Profession | Football linebacker, Analyst, Entrepreneur |
| Net Worth | $12 million |
| Salary | Over $1 million |
| Teams | New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns |
| League | NFL |
| Active Since | 1994- present |
| Social Media | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram |
| Merch | Autographed Items, Jersey |
| Last Update | July 2022 |
Personal Life
After conducting extensive web research, we have concluded that, sure, he is happily married and has three gorgeous daughters. He is a proud father of three children.
McGinest has always been silent about his personal life.
He doesn’t flaunt his personal life. However, according to sources, he has married his wife, Gloriana Clark.
Halie, Hanna, and Rylie are her three daughters. Halie is the eldest and has just turned fourteen.
When it comes to family, he is a very responsible and protective man.
Patriots of New England
After graduating from college, he decided to enter the NFL draft.
In the first round (fourth overall) of the NFL Draft in 1994, he was selected by the New England Patriots.
With his outstanding performance, he guided his club to three Super Bowl victories: in 2001, 2003, and 2004.
He was named to the Pro Bowl twice, in 1996 and 2003.
McGinest was not only restricted to playing outside linebacker at times but he was also asked to play defensive end to hinder Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb from scrambling.
His wild-card playoff victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005 set two NFL postseason records.
McGinest still holds the record for the most sacks (94.5) in a game and the most career postseason sacks (16).
He was quickly compared to Bruce Smith.
On March 9, 2006, the Patriots released him.
Browns of Cleveland
On March 15, 2006, McGinest signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns worth $12 million, plus $6 million in guarantees and bonuses.
During McGinest’s tenure, he had the opportunity to reconcile with head coach Romeo Crennel, the Patriots’ defensive coordinator.
“If they want to be great and win a championship, they need to accomplish two things: take the ball away and keep teams out of the end zone.” You’ve got those two elements, and that’s a recipe for a championship.”
In an interview in 2008, he stated that he would like to stop his professional football career.
He was inducted into Poly’s Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
However, during his Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2015, he signed a one-day deal with the team.
NFL Career Stats
| 1994 | NE | 16 | 43 | 29 | 14 | 4.5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1995 | NE | 16 | 86 | 69 | 17 | 11.0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 | NE | 16 | 67 | 49 | 18 | 9.5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | NE | 11 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 2.0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1998 | NE | 9 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 3.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | NE | 16 | 74 | 48 | 26 | 9.0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2000 | NE | 14 | 63 | 45 | 18 | 6.0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2001 | NE | 11 | 33 | 25 | 8 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | NE | 16 | 62 | 42 | 20 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | NE | 14 | 67 | 46 | 21 | 5.5 | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 | NE | 16 | 51 | 36 | 15 | 9.5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2005 | NE | 16 | 56 | 45 | 11 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 | CLE | 14 | 46 | 37 | 9 | 4.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 | CLE | 13 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 3.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 | CLE | 14 | 56 | 43 | 13 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 212 | 798 | 578 | 220 | 86.0 | 16 | 17 |
Career in Broadcasting
He worked as an analyst for Fox Sports and ESPN after retiring from football.
Later, he moved to NFL Network and assumed the same function as an analyst.
He has been on several programs, including NFL Total Access.
On October 5, 2018, he also appeared in the NFL Network documentary series A Football Life.
Philanthropist
Willie McGinest founded the Willie Freedom School, an institution dedicated entirely to nurturing social and cultural qualities in the younger generation.
For such a magnificent deed, the municipal council of Long Beach agreed to designate May 3 as Willie Day to honor his charity efforts.
In 2004, he also sponsored an event called “Shop with a Jock,” which gave 50 Boston-area children the opportunity to shop for free for $100 with him and his colleagues.
Similarly, he organized the same event with Brown players in the Cleveland region.
Business Owner
When it comes to trying new things, McGinest never backs down.
So, he didn’t leave the entertainment industry.
He owns the Los Angeles-based entertainment company 55 Entertainment.
Signature Collectibles, Premier Sports Management, EAG Sports Management, WingStop, and Swirlz Frozen Yogurt are among his current businesses.
He was recently named a Nike and USC Football Ambassador, according to recent news.
He has made a few cameo appearances on television shows such as Arliss and The Game.
McGinest also pursued acting, appearing as a detective in the film I Tried alongside rap group Bone Thugs N’ Harmony.
Not to mention, he appeared as himself in the Disney XD program Lab Rats & Scorpion (U.S. TV series).
You might be interested in reading about Jason Witten and Dan Fouts, two additional NFL players.
Sexual Assault Charges
On October 15, 1990, McGinest, along with his colleagues Michael Jones and Jason Oliver, were accused of violence and sexual abuse by a female USC student.
Furthermore, crucial witnesses told solicitors that some of the persons are attempting to conceal the evidence.
For example, Valerie Paton, a USC assistant dean of student affairs, forwarded a message to campus security that included a notice to the officers for concealing the incident file.
Following this event, college guards Morris DeMayo and Valerie Paton were fired for their callous behavior.
However, all sexual molestation accusations were dropped against the three players, including McGinest.
This was the second time it happened in 1990.
Previously, a 23-year-old summer school counselor reported being dragged into a dormitory room, pinned to a bed, and sexually harassed.
The players’ counterparts were a voluntary act by the girl and are part of their defense horseplay.
Salary and Earnings
All we can conclude from his bio is that he must have a colorful background.
He is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, pundit, and actor in addition to being an outside linebacker.
So many vocations gravitate toward him. McGinest, the master of all, enjoys a healthy and prosperous life.
About the infobahn, there is no such accurate information on his net worth and salary as of 2020.
However, according to the media, Willie’s net worth was estimated to be $12 million.
Furthermore, when he was hired as an NFL analyst, he was paid a base wage of $75,637 dollars per year.
In terms of assets, McGinest has a home in Los Angeles, CA, and is said to have sold a $4 million block of land in Calabasas.
Here’s an Instagram post where he talks about chasing his aspirations and flying above it all.
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Online Presence
@WillieMcGinest on Facebook has 4,166 followers.
Willie’s Instagram handle is @williemcginest, and he has 98k followers.
His Twitter handle is @WillieMcGinest, and he has 153.2k followers.
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