Jets' Quincy Williams gave defense huge lift upon return from injury
Jets linebacker Quincy Williams (56) forces Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) out of bounds for an incomplete pass during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. Credit: AP/Morry Gash
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Quincy Williams admitted he was worried.
When he hurt his ankle making a tackle in Week 3 against the Bengals, the Jets linebacker feared he would be out a long time. The concern was all over Williams’ face before he covered it with a towel when he was carted off the MetLife turf and into the locker room.
“I was worried,” Williams said Wednesday. “I was worried for a little minute until we got all the tests and stuff done. I was relieved for real. It looked scary, felt scary. I was scared myself. I just prayed a lot about it and then just trusted the process the Jets had for me getting back.”
Williams ended up missing just two games, far fewer than he expected even after they got all the tests done.
He returned on Sunday in Green Bay and had one of the most productive games of his career against the Packers. Williams started and played more than 80% of the snaps. He finished with 14 tackles, one shy of his career high that he set last season against Miami.
“To come back from an injury and play that much off of two practices was kind of a great thing, but the main thing was being there for my teammates, celebrating with my teammates and making the plays that came to me,” Williams said.
Coming back so soon, Williams said the medical staff told him he would feel some “nagging” pain and it would be up to him to determine how much he could take. Williams said he wasn’t trying to make a statement by playing through the pain. He didn’t want to hurt the team by not being at his best.
Williams made a statement with his play. The Jets won, 27-10, with Quincy’s younger brother Quinnen Williams’ leading the defensive effort. But Quincy had a big impact as well.
It didn’t start off that well. Quincy left the field on the first defensive series. He said he just had to get his ankle re-taped. Williams returned and wreaked his own form of havoc.
In the third quarter he burst through the line and delivered a hard hit on Aaron Jones. He lifted the Packers running back off the ground and brought him down to the Lambeau Field grass. Williams’ teammates ran to him to celebrate, including Quinnen.
“He was phenomenal,” Quinnen said. “He’s back to where he left off: explosive, hard-hitting, coming down the line scrimmage, going to check tight ends. I think he came back where he left off.”
The Jets were high on Quincy Williams from the moment they claimed him off waivers before last season.
When Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was with Atlanta, he scouted Williams out of Murray State leading up to the 2019 draft. Williams ended up with Jacksonville. When the Jaguars cut him last year, the Jets wasted no time getting him.
Williams appeared in 16 games last season and had 110 tackles, second-most on the team.
“He’s been playing really, really well,” Robert Saleh said. “He’s so raw coming out of Murray State. It’s a small college out there playing nickel practically when you watch his blurry college tape. You saw the speed, the length, the explosiveness. It takes time to learn how to play behind the ball. Last year he went through a lot of growing pains. We forced him in there and we’re doing everything we could to help him.
“Now second year and he’s been getting better and better. So that injury, thank God it didn’t derail him too long. He’s having a really nice year and he’s only getting better.”
Saleh said Quincy Williams still has a way to go physically and mentally, but "he’s trending in the right direction and we’re really excited about him.”
Williams said one of the best things about Sunday was sharing it and celebrating with his brother. Quincy enjoyed watching Quinnen play well when he was out, but it was different to be on the field with him.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Quincy said. “We talked about it when we were younger, playing together and playing on the same field. It was amazing.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
