{{Short description|American football player (1978–2025)}} {{Use American English|date=March 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | image = | caption = | number = 63, 64 | position = Guard | birth_date = {{birth date|1978|09|22}} | birth_place = Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|09|23|1978|09|22}} | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 2 | weight_lbs = 315 | high_school = West Scranton | college = Wisconsin | draftyear = 2001 | draftround = 4 | draftpick = 105 | undraftedyear = | pastteams = * Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2001|2002}}) * Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|2004}})* * Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2004}}) | highlights = * First-team All-Big Ten (1999) * Second-team All-Big Ten (2000) | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 16 | statlabel2 = Games started | statvalue2 = 0 | pfr = FerrBi20 | cfl = | afl = | HOF = | CollegeHOF = }}
'''William James Ferrario'''<ref name=FerrarioPFR.com>{{cite web | title = Bill Ferrario Stats | url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FerrBi20.htm | website = Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date=April 2, 2009}}</ref> (September 22, 1978 – September 23, 2025) was an American professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Green Bay Packers. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers.
==Early life== Ferrario was born on September 22, 1978.<ref>{{cite web | title = Bill Ferrario | url = http://www.nfl.com/players/billferrario/profile?id=FER657252 | work = nfl.com | access-date = April 2, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090215101922/http://www.nfl.com/players/billferrario/profile?id=FER657252 | archive-date = February 15, 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> While at West Scranton High School, Ferrario earned honorable mention all-star honors in his conference as a junior and senior. In addition to Wisconsin, where he committed, he received interest from Penn State, Temple, Army, and Syracuse.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-24 |title=Former West Scranton standout Bill Ferrario dies at 47 |url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2025/09/24/former-west-scranton-standout-bill-ferrario-dies-at-47/ |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=Scranton Times-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>
==College career== Ferrario came to Madison as a defensive lineman but moved to the offensive line a year later.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Journal |first=Colten Bartholomew {{!}} Wisconsin State |date=2025-09-26 |title=Former Wisconsin football teammates reflect on troubled 'entertainer' Bill Ferrario |url=https://madison.com/sports/college/football/article_f12661b1-1d7f-5a62-a55d-c45fc43d5626.html |access-date=2025-09-26 |website=Wisconsin State Journal |language=en}}</ref> He was a second-team All-Big Ten guard at the University of Wisconsin–Madison,<ref>{{cite web | title = Hutchinson Becomes Four-Time All-Big Ten Selection | url = http://www.mgoblue.com/football/article.aspx?id=39802 | publisher = mgoblue.com | date = November 28, 2000 | access-date = April 2, 2009}}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> where he paved the way as a blocker for 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne. He started all 50 games in his career, becoming only the 3rd player in Big Ten history to accomplish this feat. He helped Wisconsin win back-to-back Rose Bowl Championships in 1999 and 2000. Among Wisconsin players, he is tied for fourth in games started and his streak of 50 consecutive starts is tied for the second longest in program history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stewart |first=Mark |title=Obituary: Bill Ferrario was a key piece of Wisconsin's back-to-back Big Ten championship teams |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uwm/2025/09/25/obituary-bill-ferrario-helped-wisconsin-football-win-2-big-ten-titles/86337834007/ |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Professional career== Ferrario was a 4th round selection (105th overall pick) in the 2001 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2001 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2001/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was with the Packers through the 2002 season where he saw action in all 16 games.<ref>{{cite web | title = Bill Ferrario | url = http://www.packers.com/history/all_time_roster/player/ferrario_bill_2001-02/ | publisher = packers.com | access-date = April 2, 2009 |url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081010132552/http://www.packers.com/history/all_time_roster/player/ferrario_bill_2001-02/ | archive-date = October 10, 2008}}</ref> Waived by Green Bay in 2003, Ferrario signed with the Washington Redskins on February 4, 2004, only to be released on September 5, 2004.<ref>{{cite web | title = Bill Ferrario | url = https://www.tsn.ca/nfl/teams/players/bio/?id=1975&hubname=nfl | publisher = tsn.ca | date = | access-date = April 2, 2009}}</ref> He signed with the Carolina Panthers on November 11, 2004, but did not play in any games that season. Ferrario was released by the Panthers on August 28, 2005.
==Life after football== After his NFL career, Ferrario moved to Wausau, Wisconsin, where he sold real estate and pursued a career in the medical sales industry.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-05-20 |title=Where are they now': Bill Ferrario |url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2009/5/20/Where_are_they_now_Bill_Ferrario.aspx |access-date=2025-09-25 |website=Wisconsin Badgers |language=en}}</ref>
Ferrario worked with local athletes to improve their skills and fundamentals, and at summer football camps.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.packerevents.net/packers.html |title=Packers |website=PackerEvents.net |access-date=October 31, 2019}}</ref>
On January 2, 2023, Ferrario was reported to police for concerning behavior at his home. That same evening, he was taken to a hotel room. Around 8 p.m. the following night, Ferrario was arrested for disorderly conduct and booked within the Marathon County Jail. He also faced charges for a second OWI offense stemming from an October 12, 2022 incident where Ferrario had lost control of his vehicle and crashed. He was nearly three times the legal limit for alcohol vehicle operation in this incident.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.weau.com/2023/01/04/former-packer-arrested-disorderly-conduct-facing-separate-owi-charge/ | title = WEAU | website = weau.com|access-date=January 4, 2023}}</ref>
On February 27, 2023, Ferrario was arrested in Eau Claire County on an arrest warrant and faced multiple charges including stalking, intimidation of a victim, and more after breaking bond conditions, according to a Marathon County criminal complaint.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wxow.com/news/former-badger-packer-arrested-on-warrant-initial-appearance-in-court-friday/article_0bff6724-5c1d-5366-92bb-5e9a9f3576f8.html?fbclid=IwAR01JPX_ZgrPwFpch66S-YSXLwmw6rOGy8-xSJvezTShivFkajtp1Yjhp-c | title = WXOW |website=WXOW.com |publisher=Allen Media Broadcasting |access-date=3 March 2023}}</ref>
Ferrario died on September 23, 2025, one day after his 47th birthday.<ref>[https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/obituaries/william-billy-james-ferrario-weston-wi/]</ref> Details of his death have not been publicly released.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{cite web | title = Random Questions With Bill Ferrario | url = http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2002/10/26/1/ | publisher = packers.com | date = October 26, 2002 | access-date = April 2, 2009 |url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050429065026/http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2002/10/26/1/ | archive-date = April 29, 2005}}
{{Green Bay Packers 2001 NFL draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrario, Bill}} Category:1978 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Players of American football from Scranton, Pennsylvania Category:American football offensive guards Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players Category:Green Bay Packers players Category:Carolina Panthers players