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San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams acknowledged the contract he signed in April could be the last of his illustrious career.
Williams said he was committed to completing the two-year, $50 million contract that runs through 2027, but then said he would likely retire at age 39.
“It’s scary. It’s scary,” Williams said Wednesday in his first news conference since signing the deal. “I’m torn between the idea of going until I can’t anymore and just leaving while I still have good product left without taking me out of the league.”
Williams spoke about wanting to spend more time with his children, saying his oldest daughter was born just months before he was recruited by Washington in 2010 and would soon be going to college.
“As a father, you’re like, ‘Dang, I kinda missed his life into adulthood,'” Williams said. “When she goes to college in a few years, I want to be there and be accessible. I don’t want to be that dad following a kid around. I want to be close. I don’t want to be somewhere in a shared closet when it’s time for her to move to school, and stuff like that. Little things I have to think about.”
Williams hasn’t completely closed the door on playing until he’s 40 or older, but said it’s likely his last contract.
The deal includes $37 million fully guaranteed and a $22 million signing bonus, and it came together much more smoothly than the previous deal he signed with the 49ers. Williams missed training camp in 2024 before signing a three-year, $82.3 million contract.
This one came without any resistance or drama.
“I think it made everyone feel better, but honestly this time it wasn’t that stressful,” he said. “Everything worked out as I expected. Obviously there was a little bit of reluctance on both sides, but for the most part we both knew what we wanted to do. We see pretty similar things going forward, so it was pretty easy to get through.”
Williams’ attention now turns to the season, which got a little tougher this week with the news that his rival Los Angeles Rams traded for two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Garrett set an NFL record last season with 23 sacks, including one in a game last season against the Niners, which led to a less-than-enthusiastic reaction from Williams to news of the deal.
“Like everyone else,” Williams said. “Anyone who’s not in Rams country. … It sucks.”
Williams should get his first chance to see Garrett in a Rams uniform during the season opener in Melbourne, Australia, when the 49ers take on Los Angeles.
“The scary thing is he’s still a young player. He’s still going to get better,” Williams said. “I know it’s scary after seeing what he did last year. I never expect to see the same player. I know we’ll see him the first week in Australia. He’ll probably be a little better than the last time I saw him. I just have to buckle up. It’s going to be tough. I’m not the only one who has to block him. There are 31 other teams that have received the same news, so it is what it is.”
Williams is still playing at a high level. He just completed his 12th Pro Bowl season – the best for any offensive tackle – and is within striking distance of tying Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews’ record for an offensive lineman.
Williams made three straight All-Pro teams from 2021-23 before being hampered by injuries in 2024. He was healthy for most of last season, playing in 16 games for the first time since 2013.
Associated Press reporting.
