# Luke Willson
**Luke Willson** (Luke Michael Willson, born 1990 in [Windsor, Ontario](https://www.edgepedia.org/windsor-ontario)) is a Canadian former professional football tight end who played eight seasons in the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league), winning [Super Bowl XLVIII](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-xlviii) with the Seattle Seahawks in the 2013 season.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm) He played college football at Rice University and was drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Windsor, Ontario; 6 ft 5 in, 255 lb (196 cm, 115 kg)[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm) |
| College | Rice University; career 78 catches for 986 yards and nine touchdowns; captain of the 2012 team[2](https://riceowls.com/news/2013/4/27/Willson_Selected_by_Seattle_in_Fifth_Round) |
| NFL Draft | Seattle Seahawks, fifth round, 158th overall, 2013; also drafted by the Toronto Argonauts (fifth round, 32nd overall) in 2012[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm) • [3](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/will39900.html) |
| NFL career | 102 games, 111 receptions, 1,307 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) |
| Seahawks totals | 85 games, 44 starts, 97 catches, 1,208 yards, 11 touchdowns over seven seasons[5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement) |
| Honors | One-time Super Bowl champion (XLVIII, February 2, 2014)[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm) |
| Retirement | August 25, 2021, one day after re-signing with Seattle, citing a severe pericardial effusion[5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement) |
## Early life and multi-sport background
Willson attended St. Thomas of Villanova High School in Canada before enrolling at [Rice University](https://www.edgepedia.org/rice-university), where he redshirted the 2008 season.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm) • [3](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/will39900.html) He was also an accomplished baseball player. After being signed by the [Toronto Blue Jays](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-blue-jays) as a non-drafted free agent in 2011, he played in the Blue Jays' extended spring training program the following summer.[2](https://riceowls.com/news/2013/4/27/Willson_Selected_by_Seattle_in_Fifth_Round)
At Rice, Willson played in 45 games, finishing with 78 catches for 986 yards and nine touchdowns, and was named one of the captains of the 2012 team.[2](https://riceowls.com/news/2013/4/27/Willson_Selected_by_Seattle_in_Fifth_Round) He was the second Rice tight end selected in the 2013 draft, joining Vance McDonald, whom the [San Francisco 49ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-49ers) took in the second round.[2](https://riceowls.com/news/2013/4/27/Willson_Selected_by_Seattle_in_Fifth_Round) Before the NFL, the [Toronto Argonauts](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-argonauts) of the [Canadian Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/canadian-football-league) had also drafted him in 2012.[2](https://riceowls.com/news/2013/4/27/Willson_Selected_by_Seattle_in_Fifth_Round) • [3](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/will39900.html)
## Seattle Seahawks (2013–2017)
Willson appeared in 16 games as a rookie in 2013, starting seven, and caught 20 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) That season the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII, defeating the [Denver Broncos](https://www.edgepedia.org/denver-broncos) 43–8 on February 2, 2014 at [MetLife Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/metlife-stadium), the first [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) title in franchise history.[6](https://time.com/3305/seattle-seahawks-super-bowl/) Willson was on the roster as the backup tight end behind Zach Miller, wearing number 82.[7](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1677630861/gamecenter/10012014-0202-00a8-5550-fbffa4f7d8ed.pdf)
His most productive season came in 2014, when he caught 22 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games, including an 80-yard touchdown reception against Arizona, the longest catch of his career.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) • [5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement) In January 2015, during the [NFC Championship Game](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfc-championship-game) against Green Bay, Willson caught a two-point conversion pass from [Russell Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-wilson) late in regulation that gave Seattle a three-point lead; the Packers tied the game with a field goal at the end of regulation, but the Seahawks won in overtime, and the Seahawks.com account describes the play as one of the most important two-point conversions in team history.[5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement)
Over seven seasons with Seattle (2013–2017), Willson appeared in 85 games with 44 starts, catching 97 passes for 1,208 yards and 11 touchdowns.[5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement) His 2017 season produced 15 receptions for 153 yards and four touchdowns, his career high in touchdown catches.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) Beyond his statistics, he became known for his personality in the locker room; head coach [Pete Carroll](https://www.edgepedia.org/pete-carroll) described him as "just a lifeblood, energy guy in the program, as well as a really good ballplayer."[5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement)
## Later career: Lions, Raiders, Ravens, and return to Seattle
Willson signed with the [Detroit Lions](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-lions) for 2018 and played 14 games with 8 starts, recording 13 receptions for 87 yards and no touchdowns, the first season of his career without a scoring catch.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) • [8](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2019/1/30/18167509/detroit-lions-2018-roster-review-luke-willson-tight-end-nfl-free-agency) He averaged 6.2 receiving yards per game, the lowest of his career, and his season ended with a brain injury.[8](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2019/1/30/18167509/detroit-lions-2018-roster-review-luke-willson-tight-end-nfl-free-agency)
He then returned to the Seahawks as a free agent to provide depth at tight end, appearing in 8 games with 7 starts and catching 8 passes for 79 yards.[9](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1598637757/league/zuhqpyk2lka2xiwtqc0k.pdf) • [4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) In 2020 he split the season between Seattle (5 games) and the Baltimore Ravens (3 games, with 1 reception for 12 yards), his final NFL appearances.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career)
## Retirement
On August 24, 2021, Willson signed with the Seahawks hoping to begin a ninth NFL season. The next day he announced his retirement on social media, writing that he had spent numerous days in the hospital during the offseason with a severe pericardial effusion, a condition involving fluid around the heart, and that the experience had changed his perspective on his life.[5](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement) His career totals across 102 regular-season games were 111 receptions for 1,307 yards (11.8 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm)
## References
1. [Luke Willson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillLu00.htm)
2. [Willson Selected by Seattle in Fifth Round, Rice University Athletics](https://riceowls.com/news/2013/4/27/Willson_Selected_by_Seattle_in_Fifth_Round)
3. [Luke Willson, Pro Football Archives](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/w/will39900.html)
4. [Luke Willson Career Stats, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/luke-willson/stats/career)
5. [Longtime Seahawks TE Luke Willson Announces Retirement, Seahawks.com](https://www.seahawks.com/news/te-luke-willson-announces-retirement)
6. [Thanks To Dominant Defense, Seattle Seahawks Win Super Bowl, Time](https://time.com/3305/seattle-seahawks-super-bowl/)
7. [Super Bowl XLVIII National Football League Game Summary, NFL.com](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1677630861/gamecenter/10012014-0202-00a8-5550-fbffa4f7d8ed.pdf)
8. [Detroit Lions 2018 Roster Review: Luke Willson, Pride Of Detroit](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2019/1/30/18167509/detroit-lions-2018-roster-review-luke-willson-tight-end-nfl-free-agency)
9. [Luke Willson player profile, NFL.com media guide](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1598637757/league/zuhqpyk2lka2xiwtqc0k.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Tight ends › Former NFL tight ends*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license