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Connor Williams – July 26, 2023 Download PDF version

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

OL Connor Williams

(We didn’t see you at minicamp. It seems like it was a contract dispute. Why’d you decide to come to training camp and where do things stand with a new contract?) – “Yeah so let me get all of this out of the way. Obviously, I wasn’t happy with my contract. I had contract talks all of OTAs and stuff – it was a time for business and everything. But the pads are coming on now and it’s time for football. It’s time for camp. It’s football time. No business anymore. I’m forgetting about that and moving on.”

(Are you saying you wouldn’t want to get a deal done before the regular season?) – “I’m head down and focused out here. Everything upstairs, agents can talk. I’m working on me and focusing on me right now, focusing on my craft.”

(What are some of things you want to improve on in your second year here?) – “Just solidifying my game. Obviously coming in last year to a new position, things are picking up on the fly and now it’s just about solidifying that spot, feeling comfortable with all the blocks and all the positions and being able to solidify my role as a leader, as the center, and being able to lead better.”

(What were you feeling in OTA’s and minicamp when you decided not to be here?) – “You can’t be on this field if you don’t love football. I love football. I missed it, missed the teammates, missed the players and missed my time here. But like I said, it’s all in the past. We’re here now.”

(Are you at peace where things stand as far as there is no new contract yet. Obviously, the team likes you. Are you at peace mentally with where things stand?) – “I’d say so. I’m excited for football. I’m just excited to be back on the field.”

(Do you believe that you are one of the top-10 centers in football?) – “That’s up for you all to say. I’d say without a doubt in my heart.”

(Last year was your first year at center. It was a major change. Did you surprise yourself in any way with how well you performed at center?) – “My approach my whole career has always been steady, always been the same, always been the same approach. I think last year was just in the right light. It was a great year and great recognition and whatnot, but none of that (expletive) matters at the end of the day.”

(Head Coach Mike McDaniel talked about how he’s able to separate business and football and and he talked about supporting you and what you have to do in business because it’s not part of football. How does it make you feel when you get that kind of support?) – “Mike’s definitely supported me through this. He has been able to put aside the coach and everything and be human-to-human, which has really helped along the way. I love the guy, I respect him to death and I love playing for him.”

(Is the pursuit of a contract extension more about security or risk of injury?) – “Like I said, it’s about football right now. I’m focused on football straight on.”

(What’s something that you can do even better in your second full-time year here?) – “I think the scope as a whole. At this level, it comes down to the inches. It comes down to the detail. It comes down to preparation. Just being able to perfect your craft in every minute level helps you elevate your game.”

(Last year you said you were pleased making the move from guard to center. Do you feel that way? Do you still feel the rest of your career will be at center?) – “I love center. I feel like it’s home. I feel like it’s second nature. I feel like I should’ve been there all along. It’s been good.”

(What is it like to see the type of talent you guys have put together here? Your window is now.) – “It’s exciting. We have experience and talent. We have depth. We have a great group of guys with good energy and we all know what we’re doing. We all know the task at hand and what it’s going to take, so it’s exciting.”

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