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"I took a lot of stuff for granted, just in life in general," San Francisco 49ers Tackle
Trent Williams told ESPN's Adam Schefter. "Just being an NFL athlete, and the last 15 years of life have kind of been scheduled, documented, basically pampered, so to speak. Just keeping it honest, just being an athlete, especially while you're in it, there's not a ton of struggles that you encounter.
"Me being successful in the sport and doing what I was at the time, I just felt like, for lack of a better word, I just felt untouchable."
That changed when Williams was diagnosed with life-threatening cancer on his head. A long battle ensued, and the eight-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman overcame the attack on his body. For a while, though, hope was dwindling.
"They told me to get my affairs in order," Williams shared. "They told me to get close to my kid. They told me to just kind of get closer to the things that matter most."
Football took a backseat in Williams' mind. Experts were telling him he didn't have long to live.
"I thought football was over with," Williams said.
Now, Williams is healthy and is Pro Football Focus' highest-graded NFL player this season. In fact, he is on track to be the analytics site's all-time highest-graded player.
Williams joined
The Adam Schefter Podcast this week and discussed his difficult battle with cancer and NFL journey. It's a must-listen for any football fan. At one point, Schefter asked Williams how his battle changed the way he approaches the game and life in general today, and the tackle became very emotional trying to respond.
"I just don't take it for granted," Williams was finally able to say. "Just, every Sunday, I just give thanks because I didn't know how close it was to not being there."
A documentary chronicling Williams' battle with cancer,
Silverback: The Trent Williams Story, is being released. You can
watch the trailer here.
You can listen to Schefter's entire conversation with Williams below. It begins at about the 8:30 mark.
The San Francisco 49ers are likely hoping that a top offensive lineman drops to them at No. 31 in the first round of this month's draft. Fans would like to see the team add someone to compete with Colton McKivitz for the right tackle spot and potentially take over for Trent Williams when the future Hall of Famer decides to retire.
Having two studs bookending the offensive line would go a long way in protecting franchise quarterback Brock Purdy. While tackle may be the first-round target, depending on how the first 30 selections play out, San Francisco might have to trade up to get a genuinely impactful
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be wearing No. 1 the next time he steps onto the football field, leaving behind his No. 19 jersey. It's an unfortunate change for any fan who previously invested in a Deebo jersey—unless they consider it a throwback.
Newly signed wide receiver Trent Taylor quickly claimed No. 19 after rejoining the team on a one-year deal following three seasons elsewhere. Taylor last wore No. 15 with the 49ers, a number currently worn by wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Taylor also wore No. 81 with the team.
The 49ers' official team site has listed the jersey numbers for several of the team's free-agent newcomers below. Of course, these could change as
Justin Melo of The Draft Network reports that the San Francisco 49ers have conducted a virtual meeting with former Oregon safety Evan Williams.
#Oregon DB Evan Williams: Workhorse w/ 82 tackles, 4.5 sacks this yr. Great @SeniorBowl, jumped 40.5" vertical + 10-ft-6 broad at NFL Combine.Recent virtual meetings include #Bills,
