49ers’ Trent Williams is the very best LT of his era. Is that this his greatest likelihood at a hoop?

Corridor of Fame left sort out Walter Jones is aware of a fellow elite sort out when he sees one. 

And when Jones watches San Francisco 49ers left sort out Trent Williams, he sees a youthful model of himself. 

“All linemen, the good ones, they’ve folks they appear as much as,” Jones instructed FOX Sports activities. “For me, I seemed as much as Anthony Munoz. So, for this child to look as much as me and say that is the man that I watch, that is one thing I talked about on a regular basis so far as setting a regular and understanding that somebody is watching you always. For him to be sporting that very same quantity simply due to that, that is fairly superb.

“Nevertheless it’s all about being constant and doing the issues it’s a must to do to be ready to play since you are one of many guys which are labeled one of many superstars on that workforce.”

The Oklahoma product grew up idolizing Jones, even switching to No. 71 like the previous Seattle Seahawk. Williams, 35, is taken into account the NFL’s greatest left sort out and has an opportunity to earn a Tremendous Bowl ring on Sunday.

“It will be like a type of fairy tales,” Williams instructed reporters this week, when requested about successful the Tremendous Bowl. “It is like one thing you possibly can solely dream about. It is onerous to even describe what that feeling could be like as a result of I’ve by no means felt that feeling earlier than. However I’d think about it might be a reminiscence that we might bear in mind for all times.”

5 years in the past, Williams wasn’t certain he would make it thus far. He was recognized with Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans, a uncommon type of pores and skin most cancers. Informed by medical doctors to get his affairs so as, Williams had surgical procedure to take away the life-threatening cancerous development from his scalp. A number of scalp reconstruction procedures adopted, leaving open the query of whether or not he would play soccer once more. 

“Generally you are feeling invincible, and I believe I used to be at that time in my life,” Williams instructed reporters when requested about coping with life-changing adversity. “It was a wonderfully timed storm. I respect it, and it positively modified my outlook on all the pieces. I most likely would not be the person I’m right now with out going by means of that.”

The 6-5, 320-pound Williams prevailed by means of eight months away from the sport for therapeutic and restoration. And since becoming a member of San Francisco in 2020 through commerce from the Washington Commanders, Williams has been a dominant drive alongside the offensive line. An 11-time Professional Bowler, Williams was chosen to the All-Professional first workforce for the third time this season.

With a win on Sunday, Williams would develop into simply the third offensive lineman ever to have a minimum of 10 Professional Bowl alternatives and a Tremendous Bowl ring, becoming a member of Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen.

An offensive co-captain, Williams is without doubt one of the leaders up entrance for one of many NFL’s greatest offenses. In keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats, the 49ers ran to the left facet practically 60 % of the time and averaged 5.2 yards per carry when Williams has been on the sphere, in comparison with 3.2 yards per carry when he is off the sphere. 

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Alongside together with his dominant play, Jones likes Williams’ assured strategy to his job, which incorporates main his workforce out on the sphere with a growth field on recreation days and his consideration to element in how he wears his uniform.

Within the locker room, Williams piles his belongings in two lockers, with a set of ropes bordering his space just like the VIP part of a nightclub.

“You take a look at a lineman and typically they have saggy pants on, and so they actually do not care how they appear,” Jones stated. “Or they assume simply because they’re massive they can not look good, too. And for me, I am all about swag, matches and seeing how guys strategy the sport. 

“You take a look at all of the linemen which are on the market, particularly the left tackles — and people are the athletes. These are the blokes with fast toes. These guys performed basketball, so they’re OK with being on the entrance of the road. So, for me, I believe that is fairly cool that individuals are watching you. Once you watch the sport now, you will have folks watching the offensive linemen, the place again within the day nobody watched the offensive line.”

Williams doubtless will be a part of Jones within the Corridor of Fame when his enjoying days are over. And whereas he would not know the way for much longer he’ll proceed enjoying, Williams stated discuss of him ending his profession after this 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl is untimely. 

“I am not planning on retiring any time quickly,” Williams stated. “I do not wish to put an expiration date on myself, however so long as God blesses me to go line up and play soccer at a excessive stage, then I will be enjoying soccer.” 

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.