LAS VEGAS — Left tackle Trent Williams has a chance to check the final box on his NFL career on Sunday.
Williams will make his first Super Bowl appearance when the 49ers meet the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. He already appears assured of a bust someday in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now, his only focus is on achieving the sport's top team honor.
Williams, 35, said he will return for a 15th season, and a victory on Sunday will not change anything.
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If anything, Williams believes winning a Super Bowl only would make him more intent on extending his NFL career.
“I haven’t thought about the end, so I know I’m definitely in for the next couple of years,” Williams said. “I’ll revisit it after that.
“Winning on Sunday will only make me want to win another one next year. When you can achieve something that feels this good, you kind of get addicted to it, right? You want to achieve that award again. So I think that it will only make me want it more.”
Before the 49ers acquired Williams in a trade from Washington during the 2020 NFL Draft, he already was firmly established as a top player in the league.
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However, while the Pro Bowl selections had become an annual honor, he did not gain All-Pro status during his nine seasons in Washington.
“Any time you win in this league, you get more attention,” Williams said. “You get more prime-time games; they talk about you more on sports channels. So I think that’s what shined the light.”
Williams appeared in just two postseason games — both losses — during his time with Washington. When he takes the field for Super Bowl LVIII, Williams will appear in his ninth playoff game with the 49ers.
His elevated platform has contributed to a greater awareness of his unique skills. Williams has been regarded as the best offensive lineman in football, and he has been chosen as a first-team All-Pro performer in three consecutive seasons.
“Before I got here, I went to seven straight Pro Bowls, so it wasn’t like I was flying under the radar,” Williams said. “I just didn’t have the first-team All-Pros.
“I didn’t have the team. That’s more of a team award than anything. They reward the guys who are winning first. I always felt appreciated by my peers. Being in California and in this market, now there’s a bigger magnifying glass on me.”