Mike Williams’ profession with the New York Jets wasn’t what he envisioned it’d be. He signed with the group with out taking different visits, together with one scheduled with Pittsburgh, hoping to be a part of a Tremendous Bowl contender teeming with expertise. QB Aaron Rodgers, RB Breece Corridor, fellow WR Garrett Wilson, and a top-ten protection. It was the correct recipe. As an alternative, he caught 12 passes in 9 video games and was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the deadline.
Talking to reporters at some point after being dealt, Williams mirrored on why his time with the Jets went belly-up.
“Not having OTAs, coaching camp, all that to get the chemistry proper with Aaron,” Williams mentioned by way of the group web site. “He’s actual detailed. Like what he like. So I really feel like me not having the ability to go in there and transitioning as fast in all probability what went fallacious.”
Williams tore his ACL early into the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Chargers, knocking him out for the remainder of the season. His rehab and restoration bled over into his time with the Jets. As an alternative of working routes and catching passes throughout the spring and summer season, he was returning to full well being. Medical doctors cleared him for the season opener, however he entered the season chilly, lacking precious team-building reps to get on the identical web page as Rodgers.
It led to critical penalties. On no less than two events, Williams ran an incorrect route, together with one which resulted in a game-losing interception in opposition to the Buffalo Payments. After the sport, Rodgers publicly referred to as him out for not working the “pink line” with appropriate spacing downfield subsequent to the sideline. Hours later, the group traded for former Rodgers’ teammate and good buddy Davante Adams.
Williams was unable to carve out a task even after WR Allen Lazard went down with a chest damage. He caught only one go on a pair of targets in a Week 9 win over the Houston Texans. Even with depth on the group skinny, New York shipped him out for a 2025 fifth-round choose.
Now Williams arrives to a division chief and playoff contender like Pittsburgh. And one other veteran quarterback in Russell Wilson who has a a lot totally different character than Rodgers.
“Russ, everyone sees it,” Williams mentioned. “He places the work in. Time in, day out, a frontrunner on and off the sector. So simply very grateful to have a man like that. Quarterback of this group, a frontrunner, put us in the correct positions to achieve success.”
Much like New York, Williams must choose issues up on the fly. However he’s totally recovered from the damage and in an offense that fits his skillset extra. Pittsburgh’s passing recreation is much less exact and extra prepared to let its expertise go up and make performs. Williams can nonetheless make robust contested catches. If he can come down with a number of of these over the following 9 weeks, he’ll push the offense one other step ahead.
