Super Bowl Champion William Gholston Joins High School Coaching Staff, Looking To Inspire Young Athletes
A new face walks the sidelines at Sickles High School in Tampa. William Gholston, fresh off his NFL career with the Buccaneers, now teaches defensive skills as a volunteer coach…
A new face walks the sidelines at Sickles High School in Tampa. William Gholston, fresh off his NFL career with the Buccaneers, now teaches defensive skills as a volunteer coach for the 2025 season.
The ex-pro brings his skills to the Gryphons' staff, working with head coach Xavier Bolden. His main focus? The defensive line, though he chips in across all defensive areas.
"I'm doing it right now for the love of the game just to make sure it's something I want to do," Gholston said per WFTS. "I think throughout my process of coaching, I enjoy the developmental process of teaching somebody or watching them fulfill what we want them to do."
From 2013 to 2024, Gholston wore Tampa Bay's colors with pride. His stats tell quite a tale: 432 tackles, 20.5 sacks, three ball recoveries, and a pick across 186 games. The cherry on top? A Super Bowl victory in 2020.
Senior linebacker Zachary Radzicki first spotted the new coach in an unexpected way. "At first I thought he was a basketball player. I was in the training room talking to our trainer, and I saw this behemoth of a man. 'Who is that?' I found out it was Coach," said Radzicki.
Before joining Sickles, Gholston cut his coaching teeth with his son's youth squad. While he hasn't officially retired from the NFL, his current free agent status lets him pour time into shaping young talent.
"He has been such an influence for us ever since he walked in the building," Radzicki said. "You'll think a coach like that with experience will be giving you a lot of technique, which he is. But it's all mental that he's been giving us."
The Bucs picked him in round four back in 2013. His stint made him one of their most enduring players ever.
His sights now point toward bigger coaching goals. "I am a defensive coach. I help in all facets. Whenever I can give a hand, I give a hand," he said. "Right now, I teach the defensive line. My aim? To lead as defensive coordinator someday. That time will come."
