SANTA CLARA, Calif. - For San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams, the arrival of each NFL offseason comes with one constantly looming question: how much longer do you intend to keep playing?
Such is life for the soon-to-be 37-year-old who never seriously considered calling it a career this offseason and will be entering his 16th NFL season in 2025. Although Williams didn't give walking away much thought, it would have been understandable if he did.
In 2024, the Niners lost Super Bowl LVIII then dipped to a 6-11 record as Williams missed the final seven games because of a left heel and ankle injury and endured the loss of his son, Trenton Jr., who was stillborn on Nov. 24.
And yet, there Williams was on the practice field with his teammates Tuesday, taking part in the first day of the 49ers mandatory minicamp and spending about 13 minutes answering questions on all kinds of topics.
But the query that generated his most thoughtful answer was when he was asked how he gathered the energy and enthusiasm to bounce back after such a difficult 12 months.
"It's very difficult, but my road I've traveled has always been difficult," Williams said. "Your faith has to get you through because there's a lot of things that happen that humanly you don't have the answer for it, you can't make sense of. Second, it's just to having the composure to know that life will throw you curveballs and no matter how hard things get for me or how hard things get for anybody else, you can find a situation where it's worse.
"So, every day, thank God for being able to have air in my lungs. I know that that's not promised and just keep moving forward knowing that what's in the rearview is in the rearview. It may shape who you are going forward, but I don't think you should let it linger and let it affect who you are going forward."
For Williams, who isn't normally a frequent participant in the offseason program, the chance to begin moving forward was a catalyst for his notable presence around the Niners' facility this offseason.
While Williams didn't take part in every phase of organized team activities, he has been around more often than not, working in during individual drills in last week's OTAs and again during Tuesday's practice. He will do so again on Wednesday when the Niners finish up the on-field portion of the offseason, though coach Kyle Shanahan said the primary focus is to have Williams at full strength when training camp starts in July.
To that end, Williams said Tuesday he's fully recovered from the injury that ended his 2024 season and felt back to full strength in February.
"He looks in shape, he's healthy, he's right where he needs to be," Shanahan said. "It's been good to get him here with two weeks of individual drills and things like that...And he'll be good to go in training camp."
That would represent a significant departure from a year ago when Williams did not participate in training camp at all as he and the Niners engaged in a lengthy contract stare down. The sides didn't finalize a re-worked deal until Sept. 3, just six days before the 49ers opened the season against the Jets.
Williams' reconfigured three-year contract included $82.66 million in total value with $48 million guaranteed at signing. But the guarantees on the deal also expired after last season and the two remaining years have no guarantees and come with hefty cap numbers of $21.14 million in 2025 and $38.89 million in 2026 with $28.3 million in void year related dead money awaiting in 2027. Still, Williams demurred when asked Tuesday if he was worried about the lack of guarantees on the future years of his contract.
"It don't concern me," Williams said. "I'm taking everything one year at a time and I feel like if my play warrants more guaranteed (money) or a new year or two on the deal or whatever, then I'm here for it. If not, then you know, it might be time to sail on into the sunset... I'm just going day by day; whatever happens is going to happen."
Indeed, Williams has openly acknowledged for a few years that he has not set retirement date in mind and that he would love to play until he's 40. Last year, Williams, who turns 37 on July 19, told ESPN that he has even sought the advice of NBA superstar LeBron James on how to continue playing at a high level into his 40s.
The difficulties of 2024 don't seem to have caused Williams to waver in that endeavor, though he also says he won't keep playing if he can't do it at the standard he has set in a career marked by 11 Pro Bowl berths and four first or second All Pro nods.
"I would love to make it to that special group, but if it is not in my cards, it's not in my cards," Williams said. "I'm going to do everything physically possible. I'm going to stay engaged as you see my first time doing OTAs or even being in the offseason program for the first time in probably 10 years... But that is a goal of mine. I'm definitely not going to retire with something left in the tank."
