While Williams nearly made it through the game, he had to exit late to receive an IV.
"I was cramping," Williams told Ruiz. "But other than that, it was pretty good. A couple long drives, especially when we kept coming back with the penalty. That hurt. But adrenaline rushing, I got great teammates. We love competing with each other, so it kept me going."
During his post-game press conference, Williams expressed confidence about the upcoming road game against the Minnesota Vikings despite the short week. When asked if he expected to be sore the next day, Williams responded, "We got a little cold tub in there. If it hurts that bad, I'm gonna go jump in."
Williams described Monday's game as "uncharted waters" for him.
"I've never been in a situation where I didn't have the luxury of being able to knock the rust off in camp," Williams explained. "I've never came off a six-month layoff, seven-month layoff, and right into game week. So that was new for me. I really didn't know what to expect. Obviously, I've played a lot of football, so I knew it would come back to me. I just didn't know how long it would take.
"Obviously, there's rust involved, gotta get in football shape. I hadn't played football. You can't really replicate the exhaustion that you kind of put yourself through during a football game, especially O-linemen. It's like pushing a truck every play.
"So, honestly, I didn't know what to expect tonight. I have a lot of confidence in myself to go and play at a high level. But like I said, it's uncharted waters, so I didn't know how much that would affect me."
Williams also emphasized to Ruiz the importance of starting the season with a win.
"Obviously, we're hungry," Williams said. "We've got some things to prove. So, I don't know if it makes a statement, but we did come out here and play together as a team today."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
What the Browns playing in London means for the 49ers
The Cleveland Browns have announced that they will host a game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London during the 2025 season, part of the NFL's slate of eight international games—the most ever in a single season. It's official! We're headed to London in 2025, and... -
Star player's wife 'a tad salty' about 49ers missing the playoffs
Kristin Juszczyk had different plans for January. She expected to spend the month watching football—but not from her couch. Instead, she anticipated cheering on her husband, San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, from NFL stadiums as the team made another postseason... -
PFF names 49ers' breakout candidate for 2025
Pro Football Focus contributor Bradley Locker recently identified one breakout candidate for every NFL team heading into 2025. The pick for the San Francisco 49ers was wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, a young player whose 2024 rookie campaign took an unexpected turn. The 49ers... -
49ers' wait for Robert Saleh continues; Jaguars schedule second interview
The San Francisco 49ers' wait continues. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is set to have a second interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the team narrows its search for a new head coach. Former #Jets head coach Robert Saleh...