Will Pettis Will Pettis ( born December 11 , 1977 in Hinesville , Georgia ) is an arena football Wide Receiver / Defensive Back for the who is currently a free agent of the Arena Football League . Pettis is a four - time member of the AFL ' s All - Ironman team , a three - time member of the All - Arena team and was the Ironman of the Year . Early life and college career . Pettis and attended the Bradwell Institute in Hinesville to finish his prep career . He then attended Middle Georgia Junior College . He was named to the GJCAA Region 17 All - District team after totaling 54 tackles for Middle Georgia . He also broke up three passes for a Middle Georgia defense that established a NJCAA record for fewest yards surrendered in a season . He was a starting cornerback for the Houston Cougars as a junior . Pettis transferred to Midwestern State University and finished his senior season with 42 tackles and three interceptions . He also finished second in the Lone Star Conference with a team - leading 14 . 6 yard punt return average , 146 yards on 10 returns . Professional career . In 2001 , Pettis was out of football . In , he joined the Pensacola Barracudas of af2 and finished the year second on the team with 55 receptions for 791 yards and 14 touchdowns . On defense , he led the team with nine interceptions for 47 yards , 34 pass breakups and eight missed field goal returns for 168 yards and a touchdown . He was third on the team with 36 . 5 tackles , including two for losses . In , Pettis made his Arena Football League debut with the Dallas Desperados and had one of the league ’ s best seasons by a rookie , earning All - Rookie and Second - Team All - Arena honors . He finished the season with a rookie club - record 1 , 562 all - purpose yards , 798 receiving , 640 on kickoff return s , 93 on missed field goal returns , 22 on interception returns and nine rushing , while finishing fourth on the team with 34 . 5 tackles . After the AFL season , he went to training camp with the New Orleans Saints , but was released midway through . In , Pettis finished the season second on the team in receptions with 95 , third in receiving yards with 1 , 076 and touchdowns with 20 . In , Pettis ended the season with several milestones . In addition to being named to the All - Ironman Team and All - Arena Team for the third time , he moved into second place in franchise history in touchdown catches ( 50 ) , career receptions ( 253 ) and receiving yards ( 2 , 860 ) . On defense , he set a personal best with 47 . 5 tackles and five interceptions . He recorded five games with over 200 all - purpose yards , giving him 12 for his career . He also moved into second place in franchise record books with 426 career points and 70 career touchdowns . After the season , he went to training camp with the Atlanta Falcons , but was released on the final cut - down date . In , Pettis was named to the All - Arena team for the third time in his career after he recorded 1 , 256 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns on 93 receptions . His totals for the season helped helped him to become the all - time leader in all franchise receiving categories and to surpass 9 , 000 career all - purpose yards . He added 40 tackles , 13 passes defensed and six interceptions , bringing his career total to 15 , good for second in team history , on defense . In , Pettis earned Ironman of the Year honors , as well as earning his fourth - straight All - Ironman selection as he was named Ironman of the Game 15 times and was named Ironman of the Month for March and June . He ranked second in all - purpose yards ( 2 , 781 ) , tied for second in kickoff returns for a touchdown ( four ) , sixth in catches ( 130 ) , eighth in kickoff return average ( 21 . 2 ) and 10th in receiving yards ( 1 , 471 ) . In , Pettis recorded 95 receptions for 1 , 048 yards and 25 touchdowns . On defense he recorded 21 tackloes , two interceptions and one touchown . In 2009 , Pettis signed with the Texas Hurricanes , of the Southern Indoor Football League , making his debut on July 5 , and on June 2 , 2010 Pettis returned to Dallas , signing with the Dallas Vigilantes . Personal . Pettis lives with his wife , Akiah , and their children , Heaven Leigh , Gabriella , and William . Since the suspension of the Arena Football League ' s 2009 season , he opened a personal training business and began to help mentor young athletes . He also started a career in the tele - media industry . Charitable work . Since starting his career in Dallas , Pettis has become a visible face in the Dallas - Fort Worth community . He is an annual supporter of the Boys & Girls Club s of Greater Dallas through the Desperados Impact Player Program . Several times a season , Pettis can be found playing basketball , video games or pool with at - risk youth served by the clubs across the Metroplex . Pettis has twice served as a celebrity guest coach at the Dallas Cowboys Let Us Play ! Sports Camp for Girls - a three - day sports camp for inner - city girls served by charitable organizations like The Salvation Army , West Dallas Community Centers and Girls , Inc . of Metropolitan Dallas . During the holiday season , Pettis participates in The Salvation Army Angel Tree program , where he adopts ‘ angels ’ which represent underprivileged children and purchases gifts for them during the holidays . Pettis signed autographs at the American Cancer Society ’ s Smoke Out event .