One day, you’re toiling away as reserve on a New York Jets team in free fall. A few days later, you’re catching game-winning touchdowns for the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. Talk about a glow-up. The last week has been a crazy one for Mike Williams but worth every bit of sleep he’s missed out on since being traded from New York to Pittsburgh.
“It was crazy. I went from taking a nap to a phone call waking me up telling me I was coming to Pittsburgh,” Williams told Sirius’ Steve Torre and Bill Lekas. “And I had a flight in a couple hours. I had to figure out what bag I was taking. I ended up practicing Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then the game Sunday.”
Williams was subject to trade rumors for weeks that intensified after the Jets landed Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Williams never found his footing in New York and even with Allen Lazard’s injury, struggled to make an impact in the offense. He caught just 12 passes through nine games, failing to find the end zone.
Already, his seven days in Pittsburgh have been more productive. The Steelers wisely managed his snap count during his debut but when WR Calvin Austin III exited with injury, Williams was counted on to step in. He caught the game-winning 32-yard touchdown, after a excellent route on a great ball from QB Russell Wilson that Williams snagged over his left shoulder.
A difficult play that’s even harder than it looks considering the nature of the catch, Williams coming in off the bench and having never run that route with the team before. Just weeks after being criticized for running the improper vertical route that led to a game-ending interception, Williams made the game-winning play. A reference Williams made clear in a recent Instagram post.
“I had a good week of practice and game time came. Just for me, was just going out there playing fast and taking advantage of every opportunity I got,” he said.
With a full week as a Steeler and already impacting the offense, there should be more chances going forward. Williams won’t be a focal point of the passing game but could see 30-40 snaps per game and multiple targets. His size is a factor down the sideline against man coverage. He’ll next face a Baltimore Ravens defense prone to giving up the deep ball, especially if they’re without star S Kyle Hamilton, who is battling an ankle injury.
Williams doesn’t have to lead the Steelers in receiving. He just has to do a little bit more of what he’s already done. Make a couple of downfield catches and provide impact plays. So far, he’s one-for-one and 1-0 with the Steelers. A nap that woke him up from the nightmare of the New York’s season turned into the dream of competing with Pittsburgh.
