LAS VEGAS -- Rest easy Bay Area, Trent Williams isn’t retiring.
The San Francisco 49ers left tackle cleared up any confusion regarding his future at Saturday’s Pro Bowl Games practices, saying he’ll be back next season and then some.
“Yeah, for sure,” Williams told NFL.com when asked if he was definitely coming back. “Next year, the year after. I’m under contract until I’m 39 [years old].”
The 34-year-old 10-time Pro Bowler created a bit of a stir on Jan. 31 when 49ers players were cleaning out their lockers following their NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Williams said at his age, “you do kind of think about life after football.”
Well, he’s not thinking about life after football for a least a few years to come.
“I think I didn’t understand the question,” Williams joked on Saturday.
Williams had a walking boot and crutches back on Jan. 31, as well. But he didn’t have either on Saturday and said, “I’m good,” besides a battle with food poisoning that will keep him out of Sunday’s Pro Bowl Games Skills Showdown.
“Even though I’m probably the most skilled pro out here, but we’re gonna leave that to another discussion,” Williams said.
It was another stellar season had for Williams as evidenced by his Pro Bowl selection, along with a second consecutive All-Pro bid. However, it came to an unfortunate end for the Niners and an early and auspicious conclusion for Williams.
The OT was ejected from the NFC title game after he slammed Eagles safety K’Von Wallace to the turf amid a multi-player skirmish late in the contest.
Williams explained Saturday he was just trying to break things up at the onset, but he did let his frustrations get the better of him.
“I really kinda just got frustrated in the time,” Williams said. “We’re playing without a quarterback [which] is already frustrating and losing one of the biggest games of your life. I think I just let my temper boil over a little too much. Like I said, my intentions was to break it up, I didn’t go over there looking for a fight.”
It was an unceremonious finale to an otherwise phenomenal season for Williams and the Niners, but it’s not the end for the all-star left tackle, who will most certainly be back with San Francisco in 2023.