Trent Williams didn't truly understand what it meant to be part of a winning culture until the Washington Commanders traded him to the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. The team endured an injury-plagued campaign in Williams' first season in red and gold. Since then, he has enjoyed considerable success with the 49ers, earning playoff berths in each subsequent season.
On Sunday, the 49ers achieved something new for Williams. His team secured the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs. This means San Francisco will only need to win two games at home to secure a trip to Las Vegas in February for Super Bowl 58.
Williams and the 49ers clinched the top seed after defeating the Washington Commanders, his former team, and watching the Arizona Cardinals upset the Philadelphia Eagles.
"It all came full circle," Williams said after the game. "I'm really blessed to come back here and actually clinch a number one seed and do something I've never done in my career before. I'm super grateful for that."
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When asked to pinpoint one player in the 49ers' locker room most excited about earning the No. 1 seed, wide receiver Deebo Samuel had a clear choice—Trent Williams.
"I just look at it as he's been in league for 14 years now," Samuel told Kay Adams on her FanDuel TV morning show. "And I remember his first time getting in front of the team in 2021 when we made the playoff run, he was like, 'Bro, I've been in the league for 12 years and never made it to the playoffs.' So it kind of felt different from him.
"And then now, hearing him talk, and just being the No. 1 seed, and we're two games away from the Super Bowl, I mean, you got to think about everything that Trent's been through from Washington, to come here and still be in the top of his game with him being that age. He's trying to write his own book."
Williams and the 49ers will host the Los Angeles Rams in their regular-season finale. After that, they will await the weakest-seeded victor from the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.