New York Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams played eight long seasons before his first-ever playoff experience. That came in an impressive upset of the Minnesota Vikings during Super Wild Card Weekend last year.
But that is not enough.
Now that he’s had a taste of playoff football, Williams wants more. And he won’t be satisfied with a single victory the next time around.
“It motivates me a lot,” Williams said, via Giants.com. “Last year shows me we have everything it takes right here in the building to go even further. We made it there. We added some more additions to our team. Just got closer, built more and more camaraderie.
“That was my first time going through the playoffs. We got a win in the playoffs. I’m getting closer toward the end of my career. That is something that really motivates me, is getting the (Super Bowl) ring.”
Williams turns 29 on Tuesday and still has plenty of tread left on his tires. However, his future in New York is uncertain as he enters the final season of his current deal with the team showing little interest in extending him long-term.
That hasn’t shaken Williams, though. He has expressed a desire to remain with the Giants and so long as he plays well in 2023, it’s hard to believe general manager Joe Schoen wouldn’t bring him back.
“There haven’t been many talks about (my contract) this offseason,” Williams said. “I’m obviously open to staying here. I think I have a good camaraderie with my teammates. I would love to keep playing with Dex. I would love to keep playing with these coaches that I’ve gotten to know.
“I’m also not one of those type of players that wants to bounce around team to team. I want to be able to be here. Been through the grind and the struggle of being with the Giants since I’ve been here, coming out on the good end, eventually getting a ring with them.”
It has been a grind for Williams since being traded to the Giants in 2019. To put it simply, they haven’t been a good football team. They’ve been marred by turnover and inconsistency, but there now appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Will that turnaround include a Super Bowl victory? Will it happen within Williams’ window? He certainly believes it’s possible.
