Ever since Aaron Rodgers publicly and unapologetically threw veteran wide receiver Mike Williams under the bus after a late-game misconnection played a huge role in a New York Jets home loss to the Buffalo Bills, the rumor mill swirled that Williams’ very brief stint with the Jets would soon come to an end. The team that was primarily linked to Williams were the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been in the market for an upgrade at receiver all season long.
Finally, just ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, the Jets and Steelers agreed to a deal that would send Mike Williams to the Steel City in exchange for a 5th-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
On Wednesday, Mike Williams had his first practice with his new team, and spoke to reporters afterwards about the trade itself and his fit with the Steelers. Williams noted thought he was dreaming when he got the call that he’d been traded to Pittsburgh. And not in the, this is a dream come true and I can’t believe it all worked out like this way. No, Williams literally thought he was dreaming.
“I was asleep,” Williams said on Wednesday, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com. “I was feeling like my phone vibrating, but I thought I was dreaming. It was five missed calls from my agent and then the GM from the Jets called me and told me about the trade.”
Nobody needs to pinch Mike Williams now. He’s awake and excited to be in Pittsburgh after a tumultuous tenure with the New York Jets.
“Excited for the opportunity. Happy to be here. Looking forward to it. Ready to get this thing rolling,” Williams said. “It starts up front, the running game. And then everybody sees plays that the receivers make. GP (George Pickens) going out there, making big time plays every game. So, adding me just added another threat, a guy that can go out there and make plays… I’m a playmaker. I want to make plays. I want to get the ops. I’m going to go out and work and show that I deserve to be on the field.”
Williams wasn’t on the field nearly as often as he’d like during his nine games with the Jets. The eight-year veteran was only on the field for 53 percent of New York’s offensive snaps this season, and was targeted only 21 times.
Mike Williams looks forward to Steelers partnership with Russell Wilson
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A fractured or potentially even non-existent relationship, both on and off the field, with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was obviously a factor in why Mike Williams was traded after just nine games with the New York Jets.
Developing a better rapport with Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will be crucial in determining what sort of success Williams has in Pittsburgh. With just one practice under his belt, Williams is already raving about Wilson.
“Russ, everybody sees it,” said Williams. “He puts the work in. Time in, time out. A leader on and off the field. I’m just very thankful to have a guy like that, a quarterback on this team. A leader to put us in the right position to be successful.”
Shots fired at Aaron Rodgers? Perhaps. Or maybe this is just a case of Mike Williams liking what he’s seen from Russell Wilson. Either way, Williams doesn’t have to dream about being in Pittsburgh anymore.