Second-year San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Mykel Williams spoke to reporters ahead of Wednesday's practice, saying he's eager to return to the field.
Williams is working his way back from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 rookie campaign early. The 49ers opened his practice window last week, and there is a strong belief that he could be activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Clearly, Williams believes that, too.
"I'm ready to go," Williams said. "I'm excited to play ball. I miss playing ball. It's been like damn near a year since I played, so I just want to get back on the field."
Williams understands the 49ers' situation and what his return could mean for the team. The defensive front has endured several injuries to key contributors this season, and San Francisco has tallied just six sacks. Only five teams have recorded fewer.
"It's been killing me just watching it transpire how it has been," Williams said. "I'm just ready to get back on the field."
Of course, the possibility of returning against a division rival and the defending Super Bowl champions isn't foremost in the defensive lineman's mind.
"I ain't even going to lie to you," Williams said. "I don't care who it was. It could be anybody. I'm just ready to play ball. I've just been sitting down so long. I'm ready to go."
Williams appeared in nine games last season after the 49ers selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He finished with 20 tackles and one sack before the injury sidelined him.
Williams acknowledged that his performance didn't meet his own expectations.
"I wasn't happy with what I did, to be real," Williams said. "I wasn't, because I know the type of player I am, and I don't think I represented myself well on tape last year, whether that be for different reasons or—I just ain't played the best to my ability."
The defensive lineman added that he hopes to show the 49ers that he has improved since they last saw him on the field. That includes areas such as his get-off speed, pad level, hand usage, and comfort level within the defense.
Williams is also leaner in 2026, and when asked if he believes that will increase his quickness against opposing offenses, he simply stated, "You gonna see Sunday."
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