Trent Williams Says He Will “Never Be A Redskin Again”

Trent Williams said in an interview with Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic that he will “never be a Redskin again.”

Williams spoke with reporters shortly after the trade deadline and explained all that had transpired the past few years and ultimately led to a cancer diagnosis.

According to Williams, Redskins owner Dan Synder “wasn’t too happy” with him speaking to the media about the situation.

“Obviously, me speaking out about it, (Snyder) wasn’t too happy about it,” Williams said. “Obviously, no matter what I said or how I felt about him, just speaking out against the organization and kind of putting people on notice about how things are going around there. I don’t think he was particularly happy with that, which led to them putting me on the NFI list prematurely and choosing not to pay me.”

The Redskins later placed Williams on the reserve/non-football injury list, ending his 2019 season.

“I don’t remember what I was doing, but my agent called, and he said, ‘I know your phone has probably been blowing up with the news.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I haven’t even been by my phone, what’s going on?’ He said, ‘They put you on NFI.’ And that was the first I learned of it,” Williams explained. “Then I went back and looked, and I had a voicemail from (team president) Bruce (Allen) from earlier that day just saying that they were going to put me on NFI, and if I had any questions to have my agent contact Schaff (Senior Vice President of Football Operations and General Counsel Eric Schaffer). That was it.”

While Williams has said he doesn’t blame Synder for any of the issues with the team, but he’s aware the decision to speak publicly about his experience led to Synder having him placed on the NFI list. 

“Yeah, of course. Of course. If I would’ve never spoke out about it, who knows, but I know I probably wouldn’t be on the NFI. Obviously, when you speak out there’s consequences, and I knew that was a possibility that would happen, so it happened, so I’ll just deal with it,” Williams said. 

Williams mentioned that he’s looking forward to figuring out where he’ll be next year and having a “fresh start” with a new team. 

“Uh, yeah, pretty much just seeing where I’m going to be at, getting a fresh start, and being able to lace my cleats up and get back on the football field,” Williams said. “That’s just what I look forward to. A nice little break, it’s what my body needed, but in my mind, I’m ready to get back.”

Adam Schefter and Field Yates previously reported that the Redskins have elected to not pay Williams the remaining balance of his remaining $5.1 million base salary for the 2019 season.

Williams reported to the team last month but failed a physical due to discomfort from wearing his helmet. 

Reports have said that Washington is expected to make Williams available for trade again next year. 

Williams, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Redskins back in 2010. He currently in the fourth year of his five-year, $66 million contract that includes $43.25 million guaranteed and stands to make base salaries of $11 million and $12.5 million over the next two years of the agreement.

In 2018, Williams started 13 games for the Redskins.  Pro Football Focus rated Williams as the No. 21 tackle out of 80 qualifying players.