From the Gridiron with the 49ers to Tech Start-Up
Throughout much of the 2000s, the San Francisco 49ers finished towards the cellar of the NFC West Division. After an eight-year spell vanquished from the playoffs, the drought ended through the emergence of young quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The defense was anchored by linebacker Patrick Willis. A two-time collegiate All-American at Ole Miss, Willis embarked on an NFL career many would only dream of. Known as one of the game’s hardest hitters and feared lineman, Willis made seven Pro Bowls during his eight seasons, earned All-Pro honors in his first six seasons and led the league in tackles in two seasons. In 2010, he signed a five-year, $50 million contract making Willis the highest paid inside linebacker in the NFL. However, with players getting faster and hits becoming harder, Willis spurned the NFL, leaving millions on the table and retired from the game, citing long-term health as his main priority. He was only 30 years old at the time. Today, Willis lives a much more normal life, away from the chaos of 70,000+ red and gold screaming fans on the gridiron, to leading a high-powered tech start-up in Silicon Valley.
Only months after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Willis signed to work full-time near his former wrecking field, Levi’s Stadium. He joined Open Source Storage with his official title as Executive Vice President for Partnership and a board member. He leaves behind career numbers including 950 total tackles, 20.5 sacks and eight interceptions. Willis achieved all his accolades in just eight seasons, which is rather impressive considering he racked up all those stats in half the time as many of his contemporaries. Willis was a sure-bet Hall of Famer but chose to walk away after experiencing many setbacks during his final season. He missed 10 games in 2014, this after missing only five in his first seven years. With the injuries piling on and fearing his best days were behind him, Willis left football to preserve his energy and maintain his health. Too often football players have a hard time walking away from the game or end up playing too long where their bodies can no longer do normal, every day activities. Willis was bound to not be one of those statistics.
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He lived in Silicon Valley and on a random afternoon was struggling to lift boxes from his driveway to the front door. He was approached by his neighbor, tech guru Eren Niazi, who helped Willis and eventually the two formed a friendship. They both shared a similar story of grinding throughout their respective careers so it was easy for each to connect on a business level.
Now, Willis is just one of the members on the team. While the industry is different, the theme is still the same: how to be the best organization in their respective field. As part of his new gig, Willis is responsible for conducting all in-person interviews for potential candidates seeking employment at Open Source Storage. It is rather unconventional for individuals to be interviewed by a former NFL superstar for a tech role, but Willis has basked in his second career creating his own strategy for hiring talent. The former All-Pro lineman occasionally catches NFL highlights but is more focused on building his new team. He is proud of his past but does not let it control his future.
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