SANTA CLARA, Calif. — About a week after the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive tackle Milton Williams found himself autographing merchandise when Eagles general manager Howie Roseman approached him with a stark message. Despite Williams’ strong performance during the previous season’s playoffs—including four pressures, two sacks, and a forced fumble against Patrick Mahomes—Roseman conveyed that the Eagles would not extend his contract ahead of free agency.
Williams recalled the moment clearly:
“That was when all the players sign the Super Bowl merch,”
he told The Inquirer.
“[Roseman’s message] was like, ‘Get the most you can.’ Once I heard that — and meanwhile I was talking to my agent about the deal — I thought, ‘They’re probably not going to offer.’”
Roseman, through an Eagles representative, has confirmed this exchange took place.
Williams’ Disappointment and Desire to Stay in Philadelphia
The defensive tackle expressed the emotional weight of the decision, noting he was crushed by the news and had hoped to remain with the Eagles.
“We had just won a Super Bowl. Of course I didn’t want to leave,”
Williams said.
“But I got to do what’s best for me. They had their agenda of what they wanted to accomplish, and I wasn’t part of it. So they let me go.”
Following this, Williams signed a historic four-year, $104 million contract with the New England Patriots, the largest free agent deal of the last offseason and the highest in the Patriots’ franchise history. While Williams acknowledged that matching such an offer was likely beyond Roseman’s reach, he felt deeply unsettled by the absence of any concrete offer or indication of interest from Philadelphia.
“I wanted to see, like, what the interest was,”
Williams explained.
“I had been there four years, giving all I can, playing hurt, putting my body on the line. It wasn’t business. I wanted to see what they had, but they probably knew I was out of their price range.”
He added,
“Still, an offer would have [meant] maybe they do want me to come back. No offer is ‘we good.’”
Challenging Decisions Amid Defensive Line Overhaul
Roseman faced complex choices last offseason, particularly regarding the Eagles’ defensive front. The team allowed both Williams and end Josh Sweat to leave via free agency while juggling the pending contract extensions of three first-round defensive linemen. Among these, tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis remain unsigned but may receive extensions upcoming. The Eagles also prepared Moro Ojomo, a younger seventh-round pick from 2023, as potential depth for the line.
Despite these roster maneuvers, Williams and his father perceived the lack of an offer as a personal slight. Milton Williams Sr. voiced his frustration to The Inquirer:
“What pissed me off [is] they didn’t even offer him, offered nothing. They didn’t even entertain it. They just straight up told him — Howie Roseman said, ‘Milton, go get the bag, man, because we’re not going to be able to pay you.’”
He recalled his son’s reaction:
“That’s what he said to my son. … My son — it was like he wanted to cry. He said, ‘Dad, all I do…’ I said, ‘I understand, son. It’s a business. You’ll get yourself something.’”
Feeling Undervalued and Overlooked in Philadelphia
Milton Williams Sr. further explained that the younger Williams sought more than financial recognition—he craved acknowledgement from the franchise that drafted him in 2021.
“They had their agenda. They drafted them boys in the first round and invested a lot of money in them boys,”
Williams said.
“I was a third-round pick and they didn’t invest as much in me. That’s what I tell [my teammates], in the NFL it’s all about money. Money makes everything go. That’s how you see who’s going to play and what percentage of snaps.”
He added plainly,
“It’s all about money and I wasn’t making that much.”
Williams’ Rise in New England and Increased Role
Williams’ new contract reflects a significant salary jump, making him one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL behind only the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones. The increased pay has coincided with greater responsibilities and more playing time. At 26 years old, Williams has met and often surpassed expectations in New England, becoming a key figure in the Patriots’ dramatic turnaround under coach Mike Vrabel. From a franchise struggling near the bottom, the Patriots have climbed to the brink of another Super Bowl appearance.
Williams is a rare veteran on the Patriots’ roster with championship experience, having won the Super Bowl with the Eagles last season. If New England defeats the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, he will be just the fifth player in NFL history to win consecutive titles with different teams.
Williams’ father reflected on his son’s unique position within the team:
“About three weeks ago, Coach Vrabel asked everybody in the organization, ‘Who here was in this situation last year in the playoffs?’ And my son was the only one to raise his hand in the entire organization — nobody, coaches, staff — nobody else in the playoffs. That was powerful right there. And now they’re in the Super Bowl.”
Work Ethic and Character Make Williams a Valuable Asset
Williams admitted that signing his lucrative contract brought pressure, especially with $51 million guaranteed. However, coaches had confidence in his character even before he arrived in New England. Vrabel explained,
“We did a lot of work on him coming out of the draft … and the type of person that he was, and the family that he’s come from. So we knew the person that we were going to get and we were confident that he was somebody that we were going to add to our roster.”
Defensive line coach Clint McMillan praised Williams’ relentless dedication after working with him firsthand.
“It was most surprising the more I’ve been around him,”
McMillan said.
“There’s a lot of talented players, but how he’s wired is the thing that I was most excited about. He’s a grinder. He puts his nose down and he keeps working. He’s never satisfied.”
Injury Setbacks and Defensive Impact on the Patriots
Williams quickly made an impact during his first season with New England, recording seven pressures in the season opener and totaling 32 pressures through his first 10 games, marking a 13% pressure rate among the top at his position. However, a high ankle sprain in Week 11 sidelined him for five games—the first time in his career he had been benched due to injury.
The Patriots’ performance suffered in his absence, particularly in defending the run. The defense held opponents to just 3.7 yards per carry with Williams on the field but allowed an NFL-worst 5.0 yards per carry when he was sidelined.
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore noted the difference, saying,
“It was a big change because a lot of guys [offensive game-planners] were focused on where I was at, but when he came back it was an epic time because that man right there, he’s a good player. We already knew he brought a spark to our defense.”
Williams elevated his play during the postseason, contributing four pressures and two quarterback hits in the AFC Championship against the Broncos. He also mentioned undergoing random drug testing following that game, a point his father underscored:
“We don’t do drugs right here. We work, man.”
Versatility and Growing Leadership Role in New England
Vrabel has utilized Williams as a flexible piece along the defensive front, rotating him across the interior and occasionally shifting him to the edge. Roseman had noted this versatility upon drafting Williams out of Louisiana Tech, highlighting his potential to impact various defensive assignments.
While Williams primarily played right defensive tackle in Philadelphia behind veterans like Fletcher Cox and Jalen Carter, he was never expected to lead the Eagles’ defensive unit. In New England, he is gaining leadership experience.
“I was never the guy that you would come ask questions,”
Williams said.
“We had other vets on our team who had done it before. I’m only 26, but I’m one of the vets in the room because of my experience playing — it’s crazy. I’m just trying to spread the knowledge like some of the vets in Philly did when I was there.”
Draft Night, Early Struggles, and Proving Doubters Wrong
Williams’ early career was challenging. Drafted 73rd overall in 2021, one pick after Alim McNeill—who was selected by the Detroit Lions and flourished as a rookie—Williams faced criticism in comparison. Senior scout Tom Donahue favored McNeill and reportedly expressed frustration when the Eagles traded down slightly, selecting Williams instead.
Despite that, Williams developed into one of the NFL’s most explosive interior rushers, known for his relentless motor, even if he often felt underutilized.
His father recounted,
“He would get frustrated because he was like, ‘Dad, I’m putting in my work.’ I’ve been at practice before and I see these guys and they can’t finish a drill and land on their backs or whatnot. And I see that and he finished the drill and got 15, 20 seconds left still. And I said, ‘I understand. But you know what? Whenever you’re on the field, make them call your name. Bottom line.’ That’s our saying right there: ‘If they’re calling your name on the field, that means you’re doing something.’”
Contract Expectations and Watching the Eagles’ Decline
When the Eagles signed their 2021 first- and second-round picks, wide receiver DeVonta Smith and guard Landon Dickerson, to extensions after their third seasons, Williams expected similar treatment.
“I was waiting. I was in the last year of my deal. I’m like, ‘It’s now or never,’”
he said.
“Every time I step out on the field if I wanted to be there I was making sure I was making plays. But I was also putting out good tape for a situation like this.”
He added,
“If they don’t want me to sign [early], I was going to change that, and watch me be a professional and get better every year as a player.”
Williams followed the Eagles’ struggles this season from afar, noting the team rebounded poorly without his presence. He maintained contact with former teammates and coaches, including Brandon Graham, who reached out to express pride in Williams’ accomplishments.
Super Bowl Experience, Underdog Mentality, and Team Motivation
The Patriots have leaned on Williams’ prior Super Bowl experience during this postseason run. Coach Mike Vrabel assembled a team largely viewed as underdogs, with Williams perhaps the highest-paid player but also one who understands the feeling of being overlooked.
Williams commented on the team dynamic:
“We got a lot of guys who got released because they thought they weren’t good enough, or they wanted to go in another direction, so they got a lot of stuff in the back of their minds to motivate them and push them. ‘OK, you didn’t think I was good enough? I’ll show you.’ You make plays on this stage, it’ll change your life. I did it.”
Origins of Williams’ Work Ethic and Ongoing Drive
Williams’ journey began in Crowley, Texas, near Fort Worth, where he developed his relentless work ethic. At Bicentennial Park, he and his father would run hills to maintain the hunger that came from feeling undervalued early in his career.
His father described this mentality:
“He’s had a chip on his shoulder all his life, from little league on up. He’s not the rah-rah type person. He’s just going to put the work in. And now that people are finally seeing what he can do, he’s just working. It ain’t over. They ain’t seen nothing. They haven’t seen anything yet.”
