Born in Atlanta on October 21, 1942, Bill Curry attended College Park High School. Curry received a football scholarship to Georgia Tech where he lettered for three seasons at center for Coach Bobby Dodd. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1964, and was coached by the legendary Vince Lombardi. Bill Curry was an integral part of the team that won the 1965 NFL Championship and the very first Super Bowl in 1966. Bill Curry was traded to the Baltimore Colts in 1967, where he played under another legendary coach, Don Shula. With the Colts, Curry played in Super Bowls Ill and V and was named to the All Pro Team in 1971 and 1972. His ten-year NFL career ended in 1975 following brief stints with the Houston Oilers and Los Angeles Rams when a knee injury forced him to retire.

Though retired from playing, Bill Curry did not retire from football. Inslead, Curry began his coaching career at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, serving as an Assistant Coach. After a three-year stint as Offensive Line Coach under his old friend Bart Starr with the Green Bay Packers, Curry returned to Georgia Tech in 1980 as its Head Football Coach. During his tenure at Georgia Tech, Curry led his team to a 9-2-1 record in 1985 and a win in the All-American Bowl. For his efforts, Bill Curry was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1985 by the Associated Press and the ACC Sports Writers.

From Georgia Tech, Bill Curry went on to serve as Head Coach at the University of Alabama where he posted a record of 26-10, including one SEC Championship and three bowl appearances during his three year tenure. After posting a 10-1 regular season record, his 1989 Crimson Tide squad shared the Southeastern Conference title and earned the berth in the 1990 USF&G; Sugar Bowl. As a result, Bill Curry was honored as the 1990 SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. He was also the recipient of the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year award.

Coach Bill Curry was named the University of Kentucky's thirty-second head football coach on January 8, 1990. In 1993, Curry's Wildcat squad posted a 6-5 regular season record and earned a spot in the Peach Bowl, which was Kentucky's first bowl game in nine years. Academically, Curry's Wildcat football teams set the pace among SEC schools. Kentucky led the SEC numerous times in academic all-SEC honor roll selections during his seven years as head coach.