Standing at 6'5 and weighing 220lbs, hailing from Zachary, Louisana, Doug Williams is known for breaking many of NFL records and not just statistically but socially. Before even stepping onto a professional football field, Williams was known for his studious nature, perfect passing mechanics, poise, and his insanely strong arm. While attending Grambling State University, Williams led the Tigers to a 36-7 record as a four-starter, winning three South Western Conference Championship, leading the NCAA in several statistical categories, and graduating with a bachelor's degree in education. Despite all of Williams' success, only one NFL scout came to see him prior to Williams deciding to declare himself into the NFL Draft.
In the 1978 NFL Draft, Williams was selected 17th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prior to Williams' arrival, the Bucs had won just two games in two seasons since the franchises beginning. Williams led the Bucs to three postseasons in five seasons, however, after a contract dispute, Williams took his talents to the USFL where he played two seasons with the Oklahoma/Arizona Outlaws. In 1986, Doug Williams returned to the NFL with the Washington Redskins where he would make history becoming the first Black quarterback to play in the Super Bowl (XXII), the first Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl, and the only Black quarterback to be named Super Bowl MVP to this day. While Williams did accomplish a lot as an African-American quarterback, he also threw for a record 340 yards in the Super Bowl, became the first player to throw for four touchdowns in a half in a Super Bowl, and the only player to throw for four touchdowns in a quarter in a Super Bowl.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."