San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams nearly didn’t make it in 2019 when he had treatment for cancer.
Williams shared his story during the Third and Long podcast on Thursday, a decade after a growth on his head was first discovered. He played for the then-Washington Redskins in 2013 when team medical personnel noticed it but weren’t concerned.
It became much worse than originally thought, and Williams revealed on the podcast that doctors, upon the diagnosis, doctors informed him that he could be near death. Williams ultimately had surgeries in 2019 that saved his life from dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).
“Football is the least of your worries at this point. I think you need to get closer to your girls. It looks pretty serious, I don’t know how long you got left. You need to get your affairs in order,” Williams recalled the doctor telling him. “It was like an out-of-body experience.”
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: #49ers star LT Trent Williams opens up about his cancer diagnosis and being told he didn’t know how much time he had left to live… 🙏🏻
“Football is the least of your worries at this point. I think you need to get closer to your girls. It looks pretty serious,…
It hits home often for Williams, who left Washington for the 49ers via a trade in 2020, during the most ordinary of times as an NFL player.
“Every time I go into a locker room, every time I put the helmet on. I flash back and think about the time,” Williams said.
Since his cancer treatment, Williams has only continued a high level of play with two All-Pro first team honors with the 49ers. He has been a key part of the team’s success again this season amid an 8-3 start.
Trent Williams: ‘It’s Just Another Game’
Williams doesn’t want to over-hype the 49ers’ upcoming game with the Philadelphia Eagles, a rematch from last season’s NFC Championship Game.
“It’s just another game,” Williams told the media on November 23 via NBC Sports Bay Area.
“Obviously a lot of people are going to be looking forward to it because of how last year ended, but I don’t think last year has anything to do with [the game],” Williams added.
San Francisco has plenty at stake though, trailing the Eagles by two games for the NFC’s top seed and lone bye in the playoffs. The 49ers have a three-game winning streak while the Eagles have lost only once all season.
“It’s still just one game and we got to go 1-0 that week,” Williams said. “It’s going to be another tough environment to play in, just like [Seattle]. We just got to be ready for it.”
Likewise, Williams expects a tough Eagles defense, which gives up 22.4 points per game.
“Of course they are going to come with it,” Williams said. “We know we got to bring it if we want to be in the game. We are looking forward to it.”
Trent Williams Returns to Practice After Missing Wednesday
Williams sat out practice on Wednesday for his usual veteran rest day, and he returned to full participation on Thursday.
The 49ers missed Williams for two full games due to an ankle injury in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. San Francisco stumbled with Williams out of the lineup amid a three-game losing streak, which included the Browns game.
The Niners haven’t lost with Williams on the offensive line this season, an 8-0 mark.
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49ers’ Trent Williams Details Frightening Story From His Cancer Journey