As an NFL wide receiver, Matt Willis possesses tremendous agility and strength.
Often, Willis utilizes those abilities on the football field as a member of the Denver Broncos, but this offseason Willis decided to test his skills somewhere else… as a ninja.
A ninja warrior, that is.
Willis said he occasionally watches the American Ninja Warrior television show on G4 and he always came away impressed with the participants. Willis also has a passion for obstacle courses and physical challenges, so when the opportunity presented itself to join the show in Venice, Calif., Willis jumped on it.
“My brother-in-law — he plays water polo for the U.S. National Team — and he got a call from a lady involved in the show and I was with him at the time,” Willis explained. “And I got all excited and told him to sign me up.
“Then I got the opportunity to do it.”
Willis was happy to report that he successfully maneuvered his way through the initial challenge, but his time on the show ended there.
“I completed the first part and then they take the top 30 times and do an extended version,” Willis said. “I didn’t make it that far, but I’m proud I made it through the first part.”
Now, Willis is back to work on the football field, but when asked if he’d be interested in an obstacle challenge among NFL players, Willis was quick to respond.
“Absolutely, I’d be the first one to sign up,” he said. “I have a buddy who is a Navy Seal and I’m trying to get him to sneak me onto the base so I can do their obstacle course. I love that kind of stuff.”
Below is the video from Willis’ time on the Ninja Warrior program:
Tags: Matt Willis, Ninja Warrior
YES = REPOST to this new BLOG: SORRY!!!
What is the deal with FOOTBALL # (numbers)??? I wonder why for instance Von Miller did not keep #40??? I remember back when Reggie Bush came into the league that he had to loose the 5 and take 25, and I know there are some rule like that, but does anyone know those #RULES??? I think LB’s have to be 50 or above and so on and so forth, but I’m not really sure about all those details? And WR’s are usually in the 80’s and between 10-20, but are there definate number RULES and are there exceptions to the RULE???
For intance I seem to Remeber Reggie Bush could have reclained the #5 after something like three years in the league and paying a fine or due to make that happen???
Am I up in the night or does anyone recall such things about FOOTBALL NUMBERS???
GO BRONCOS!!!
p.s. And yes I understand why Von Miller chose #58 – just not sure why he could not have kept his college number???
Bay, I got autographs from Robert Ayers, Joe mays, and Milke Muhommed, all LB`s. After practice only about 12-15 players came over. My buddy got autographs from Eric Decker and Matthew Willis. The autograph session only had taken place for only about 10 minutes then the horn blew and the left the field.
Maybe he’ll be a ninja on he field sneaking around defenders and maneuvering into the secondary…
Mr.Henson any idea when the show will air on tv,my son watches it?
bay – there’s your boy Wills !! lol!
Bill Williamson over at espn stating Broncos and Chargers showing interest in Osi Umenyiora. That’s a surpise.
BFE, 9 more days bro!!
Can’t type for the life me… “Willis” and “Suprise”..
NFL.com is saying we have interest in Osi as well.
Yeah rbf1, but Lindsay Jones already had that on the DP like three days ago, so my enthusiasm is tempered, haha.
When the news came out Osi was available I was the first one here who said “Doom and Osi”, can’t never put a great DE past Fox, like I was talking about in the last blog, remember Julius Pepper had a lot to do with Fox’s early success. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks kind of thing, however somebody in the front office might put the brakes on that just like I talked about at the end of the last blog.
Listen to some of the comments the fans make about Orton. Pretty funny…lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woKlrY9U0Cs
If we got Osi that would be a miracle. Getting him in a trade some how would put us on the map on defense. We`d sure look better on paper.
What about the guy who says look at how big Doom is and his buddy goes holy crap, LOL, to which his buddy replies it can’t be good for his speed, their comments were more interesting that those few formations, haha.
Yeah but they also reported over the weekend that it looked like Osi would be signing with the Giants… (NFL network).
Apparently things have soured again and now he wants out.
Oh well nice pipe dream.. lol.
True…
Linebackers cant wear #40. I think they can only wear numbers 50-59. That’s why he didn’t wear his #40.
We`d be a long shot to get him. I don`t want to lose any valuable draft picks in 2012 or 2013. We must build through the draft these next few years, very crucial.
We can spend a second on Osi, we spent one on Richard Quinn, LOL.
If we trade for Osi I hope it`s for players but I doubt it.
I’m a Tebow fan but some of these throws that he makes in the video shows why we need to keep Orton for one more year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO1hfBjQu48&NR=1
I can live with that. We`d get him right away for this year, doable I suppose.
Like you can make a decision based on those one on one…. great game conditions replica there, LOL.
Us signing Osi would definitely send shock waves through the NFL after what we’ve done so far, then sign Asante and it’s one of our greatest FA ever, haha. Darn, in all this excitement I forgot a minor detail, the money…
I hate to go there but since those practice sessions have been posted here, never forget what Fox said not long a go:
I much rather have a competitive guy (for QB) on the field than a good practice player.
Maybe not the exact words, but the exact meaning, just saying.
Actually this is exactly what Fox said:
“I prefer a gamer to a good practice player”
Hope you all caught Klis talking about Bronco stuff on ESPN. LOL
Willis going to be great, it’s just a matter of time. We have a great recieving corp, I think better than last year.
I also like some of the DT pick ups, young guys that got something to prove.
Osi says the Giants didn’t follow through with what they promised him. If that’s true, there would be no danger in signing him. Hard to work for an employer that lies to you.
My boy Willis, looks like we finally agree on something.
Broncos were smart about free agency and have waited patiently for quality players that have become available. Hate to say I told you so, but I told you to have faith and trust in out front office.
Go Broncos!
Osi is not worth a 1st rounder. Unless it’s in the form of Moreno, Ayers, DMT or Tebow…
He is worth a “Quinn” second though…
We agree on a lot Bay , just the things we don’t agree about stand out more and those things create discussion. The most important thing everyone here agrees on is love for the Broncos! Our season looks better every day!
Don’t get carried away imready what exactly quality FA players are you referring to?
Fells and McGahee are probably the two who fit in that category to me.
The ones we’re going to sign, of course! I do like the two former first round DT’s,sure it’s a roll of the dice but the potential is there especially with Fox and Allen coaching them. I think McGahee will contribute enough to make a difference in the running game. He wasn’t my choice (
we both wanted Snelling) but I trust Stud.
If Asante is available, we should work out a 3 way with PHL and MIA. That would make more sense than Osi who’s almost 30 yrs old. No way we give up a 1st for him at his age.
More of a need for CB than DE.
Goody up in age, however Thompson showing some promise.
Nate Jones at nickel back was burned often last season.
imready must be talking about Jeremy Jarmon
And I thought I was one of Elway’s biggest fan:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2011/08/02/john-elways-biggest-fan-has-the-ink-to-prove-it/8585/
royal..I totally agree and think that other than a real DT we need to sign another CB.
Hey guys..
I was doing some looking on youtube, haha you all know me, and found the play where Tebow was getting blitzed and he ran to the left near the sideline then when he was starting to fall backwards threw a very nice deep TD pass to Dell!! Awesome vid!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqx-lokJS2w&feature=related
Ah, ok, I was wondering if that was what you meant, safer way to go, smart man.
It’s already been basically accepted by teams around the league that Osi is not going to get a first so I don’t know why that keeps popping up, but yeah we are much better off at DE than CB because of Fox’s love of DEs so Asante would be a much better way to go if we could get one of the two, but unfortunately I don’t think we will get either, just more B players type of thing, just like imready told us, LOL..
Watch Hunter get mad and toss his helmet at the end of the play…lol
Yea apparently that was the play of the day a couple of days ago at training camp! Awesome how Tebow usually makes a play when nothings there!! That was under some immense pressure too!! Definitely see Orton getting tripped by a piece of grass with Hunter in his face like he was Tebow here!
I’ve made clear on the issues I don’t agree with you on Bay, I didn’t say we agree because I want to be your buddy. Just trying to find some common ground so we can remain somewhat personable. Like yourself , I’m my own man. I try not easy swayed by a bunch of media BS and try not to buy into hype. I do enjoy being the devils advocate to promote independant thinking more than anything. I like to promote ideas that may be considered “outside the box”. Being somewhat optomistic does leave me open to failure, but I rather be optomistic about the Broncos and be wrong than being negative about the teams future. I’ll continue to think we’re building a team that will be competitive. I’ll watch every game thinking we will find a way to win. Sooner or later I’ll be right about that, guess that makes me a fan. Go Broncos!
Orton- “That piece of grass came out of no where!”
B players – we’ve plenty to go around… lol. Yeah don’t think we’ll be getting any premier players.. just another pipe dream.
Good thing with the B players is they’re alot cheaper and we’ll keep two or three hard workers.
I think I’d rather have plenty of B players mixed in with some A players than a few A+ players mixed in with plenty of C players.
Article from SI.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jim_trotter/08/01/broncos-quarterbacks/index.html
Yeah, TRB had that link here a couple days ago, honestly don’t know what to really make of that article…
And imready, we used to go at it hard, you and I, without the gloves on, so now we put the gloves on and that’s a huge improvement, hoping for anymore than that is probably a stretch. And I have absolutely no problem with how things are now, keep it coming.