San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams indicated seeking help from basketball legend LeBron James for career longevity. The 36-year-old who hails from Long View in Texas is in his fifteenth year in the league at 36 years old.
Trent Williams joined the league in 2010 when the Washington Redskins drafted him fourth overall. He donned the Washington jersey till 2019, a duration in which he collected widespread acclaim. In 2019, the Redskins, or Commanders as they came to be known traded Williams to the San Francisco 49ers for draft picks. Since joining the 49ers, Williams has been selected for four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2020 to 2023. Williams has eleven Pro Bowl features.
Williams expressed deep interest in playing on the field until he is 40. LeBron James has been a part of 21 seasons, currently playing his 22nd as he looks ahead to celebrate turning 40 years old in December. Speaking to Nick Wagoner, Williams admitted that James proves that it can be done, one can indeed play at forty years of age.
When you see and talk to a guy like that who is going and doing it at the highest level we’ve ever seen and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. I know that it can be done. My mind frame right now is I want to finish this career as strong as I opened it up.
Trent Williams stated
The duo reportedly met after the 49ers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl earlier this year. According to Wagoner, the defensive tackle didn’t hesitate to get tips from the legend to get over championship losses as well. Furthermore, Williams has been reported to have been following stricter diet regime as per the advice of James.
Williams and James have continued to excel as top athletes in their respective sports during the 2024-25 NBA season and the 2024 NFL campaign. James is averaging 23.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists over 14 games for the Lakers. Notably, his 41.6% three-point shooting is on track to set a career-high if maintained throughout the season.
On the other hand, Trent Williams remains one of the NFL’s most effective tackles. Williams is only second to Orlando Brown Jr. of the Cincinnati Bengals in the pass block win rate metric as per ESPN.
Trent Williams looks up at Andrew Whitworth who won a championship at 40 as well
Andrew Whitworth, widely regarded as one of the greatest tackles in NFL history, also lengthened his career through strategic adjustments to his training and preparation. His dedication paid off spectacularly when he capped his illustrious career with a Super Bowl victory at the age of 40. Whitworth set a benchmark for Williams.
Williams spoke of Whitworth, expressing that the former DT is an inspiration for all tackles of his age and younger. He also added that Whitworth’s career was like a storybook finish.
Whitworth is a guy that not only myself, I think a lot of tackles my age and younger … looked at it as that standard of longevity because he did it all the way to the end. He rode out, like, literally a storybook finish.
Trent Williams said
San Francisco had fought tooth and nail to ensure Williams to be in the squad ahead of the season. At some point, they had to even think of playing Week 1 without the tackle. Injuries present a huge challenge to the player’s wish to play until he is 40. Williams hasn’t played a full season since he was 25, which is almost a decade ago. Since then, he typically misses one or two games.
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