Tony Williams is facing an uncertain future in football.

The 10th-year NFL veteran has just undergone surgery to repair a ruptured biceps suffered in a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

Now on injured reserve with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Williams is facing his second straight year on the sidelines after missing the 2005 season with a broken ankle.

"I'm trying to get back," Williams said on the phone recently. "I'm trying to stick around as long as I can."

It will be a few weeks yet before Williams, a 6-foot-2, 296-pound defensive tackle who spent four years with the Minnesota Vikings and five with the Cleveland Browns, will be able to start lifting weights again.

But for about half an hour one recent afternoon, the Germantown native joyfully relived what he still considers "the highlight of my football career."

He's talking, of course, about the University of Memphis' momentous 21-17 win over Tennessee in 1996.

"I've never played in a Super Bowl. That was a Super Bowl for me," Williams said. "I wish they had given out rings from that game."

That Williams actually committed to Tennessee before changing his mind and signing with Memphis only added to his satisfaction that day and in the years since.

"I was one of those guys who had Johnny Majors come to his house," Williams said, in reference to the former Tennessee coach. "That made it kind of a bigger deal for me personally. It was one of my sweetest moments there."

Williams said he was swayed by friends, family and former Tigers coach Chuck Stobart into staying closer to home for college.

The atmosphere inside Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium that November day confirmed he had made the right decision.

"It was a magical day for all of us. You could feel the buzz in the air when we ran onto the field," Williams said. "That day was the highlight of my football career. It's something I'll never forget. I don't know if I've ever won a bigger game."

Williams made a massive contribution to the Tigers' cause, racking up 13 tackles, including six for loss, and a sack.

With 10 years of hindsight, Williams said the Tigers' feat in stopping Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning seems even greater.

"Peyton Manning, who knew he was gonna be as great as he is now?" Williams said. "Who knew I was gonna sack the next Johnny Unitas? He's that big now."

Williams credited then U of defensive coordinator Jim Pletcher for devising a game plan that left Manning flustered.

"We ran a lot of three-man fronts, and Peyton had a problem with it," Williams said of a Tiger defense that made 16 tackles for loss and intercepted Manning twice. "Pletcher did a great job preparing us.

"And that game made (head coach) Rip (Scherer). That was probably his biggest win. Rip was on his 'A' game that day."

As memorable as the win remains for Williams, it made a 4-7 season even more painful.

"The guys fought and battled that day. If we could have played at that level each week, we probably would have played in a bowl game," Williams said. "I was a senior, and you always want to finish your college career playing in a bowl game. That's what's left in my mind: Why couldn't we have done it every week?"

Williams, 31, has attended several Tigers games over the years, and he said he plans to fly in from Jacksonville for Saturday's 10-year reunion.

"I still bleed blue this time of year," he said. "I'll always bleed Tiger blue."

He also has some advice for the Tigers' current coach.

"If Tommy West was smart," Williams said, "he'd show a tape of that game to his players."