Patrick Willis Outside the Huddle

SI Staff | Oct 19, 2009

Patrick Willis Outside the Huddle

Peter Read Miller/SI

In the fourth installment of an Outside the Huddle series, SI.com's photo editors culled photos of two-time Pro Bowl linebacker and Niners defensive captain Patrick Willis, on and off the field.

Peter Read Miller/SI

With 49 tackles and two interceptions in the first five weeks, Willis has led the 49ers to their best start since the 2002 season, when they won the division title.

AP

After the 49ers shut out St. Louis for the first time in 119 games, Willis celebrated the 49ers third win of the season. He helped take down the Rams with one interception returned for a touchdown, 2.5 sacks, eight tackles and one pass defended.

AP

Hall of Famer and 49ers coach Mike Singletary has admitted that Willis, the team's first-round draft pick in 2007, just might be better than he was.

AP

The ladies man posed at the 2009 Pro Bowl in Hawaii where he started at inside linebacker. Willis was voted to the NFC team after a season in which he returned an interception 86 yards against Seattle.

Robert Beck/SI

Students from Briarwood (Santa Clara, Calif.) Elementary challenged Willis during gym class, looking to beat the linebacker's 4.3 40-yard dash speed.

AP

No stranger to dominating his opponents, Willis attacked Assassin's Creed II back in September at the Ubisoft headquarters in San Francisco.

AP

Not many tower over the linebacker's 6-foot-1, 240-pound frame, but even Willis can't overpower the deadly Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin's Creed II.