He played on three state championship teams. His senior year, they were 12-0, with seven shutouts, and played with two other future first round NFL draft picks, besides himself.
And no, he didn’t play for Don Bosco Prep or Bergen Catholic.
He stayed home. He played for Piscataway. And 21 years later, he was honored Friday night by the Chiefs at halftime of their game with Sayreville. As PA man Kevin Donahue would say: “Please applaud him for his efforts!!”
After Pisctaway, of course, Wilson did leave home. He went to Boise State to play football, never getting the attention (he deserved) from bigger schools. That was right as the Broncos’ program was becoming a household name.
And soon, he was as well. All four years he was an all-Western Athletic Conference all four years, starring in 50 games, with 11 interceptions at cornerback, while also leading the nations with three punt returns for touchdowns in 2008, and two pick-sixes in 2009. He was a Sporting News All-American.
Then, the NFL came calling. After playing his whole career Fridays and Saturdays, he spent seven years playing on Sundays – five with the Jets and two more with the New Orleans Saints.
But back in Piscataway – where he donated money to help build an auxiliary gym at Quibbletown Middle School in the district – that’s where it all started. Not just athletically, but academically. He was a National honor Society member, and was also a All-Academic WAC honoree all four years at Boise State.
But, oh, on the field? In his senior season of 2004, he had just 106 touches. He scored on 23 of them, logging 138 points, which – at the time – set school records in both categories. His last was a 31-yard TD catch from QB Robert Rose to beat Phillipsburg at Rutgers Stadium for the North 2 Group 4 title, the Chiefs’ third straight.
In his high school career, Piscataway was 33-3 over that span, the best they’ve ever had.
And Kyle Wilson is one of the best the Chiefs have ever had.
Friday night, at halftime of the Sayreville-Piscataway game at Kenny Armwood Stadium, the Chiefs honored Wilson with a ceremony, the first of what head coach Dan Higgins says will be more, honoring the rich legacy of Piscataway football.
Click below to watch the video:
Those other two first-round draft picks – Malcolm Jenkins and Anthony Davis – were amazing, too, and they’ll both likely be back for a halftime ceremony of their own, probably sooner than later.
Click below to hear former Piscataway, Boise State and NFL standout Kyle Wilson talk about his career – and what he’s up to now, and what’s next – with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko: