William Goodyear (May 21, 1865 – June 18, 1936) was an American college football coach, newspaper editor, publisher, and politician in Whitman County in eastern Washington.

[1][2][3] He was described as coming from "good New England stock," and was a direct descendant of Stephen Goodyear, who served as deputy governor of the New Haven Plantation from 1643 to 1658.

He entered the newspaper business as a reporter for the Spokane Falls Review (later known as The Spokesman-Review) from 1887 to 1889, eventually becoming the city editor.

He reportedly traveled from his home in Palouse, Washington each night to perform his coaching duties.

When William Jennings Bryan visited the area during his 1900 presidential campaign, Goodyear introduced him as "the man whom the trusts hate, but the people love.

[22] In 1908, he ran for Congress,[23][24][25] and was the Democratic candidate in Washington's 3rd congressional district which included the entire eastern portion of the state.

[30] During World War I, he was also the publicity director for the Liberty loan drives in Whitman County.

[5] Goodyear was outspoken on public policy matters and was an advocate of, among other things, the direct primary system and Prohibition at both the state and national level.

[5][31] At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Goodyear and his wife Neva were living in Pullman.