San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams recently inked a two-year, $50 million contract through the 2027 season. The star blocker was asked Tuesday whether he sees the next two years as the final ones of his illustrious career.
"Yeah, probably," he responded.
Entering his 17th NFL season, Williams stopped short of officially planning his retirement after 2027.
"Obviously, I can't tell the future," Williams said, . "I don't know. I'm still a competitor. It's hard not to compete when you can. So, we'll see."
The 37-year-old noted that the idea of closing his career is a "scary" thought.
"It's scary," Williams said. "I'm toying between the idea of going until I can't no more and just leaving while I've still got some good product left and not getting ran out the league.
"It's been a long time, and I have a daughter who was born a few months before I got drafted. I'm going on year 17. She's turning 17. As a father, you feel like, 'Dang, I kind of missed her whole life until adulthood.' ... She [will] go off to college in a couple years. I want to be there and be accessible, and I don't want to be that father that shadows the kid. I want to be close. You know what I mean? I want to be close. I don't want to be somewhere at a joint practice."
Williams remains the premier left tackle when healthy. However, the injuries are becoming a concern as he creeps toward 40. Even a diminished Trent is better than most fully healthy left tackles, but it becomes a factor for the Super Bowl-or-bust 49ers.
During Williams' standoff with the club, the Niners' lack of a viable replacement gave the veteran some leverage. After the draft passed, they still lack a clear long-term solution. San Francisco has two years to figure out a transition plan.
