Quincy Williams is being challenged by New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn.
Quincy Williams has had an up-and-down NFL career. Williams was selected in the third round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2019 NFL Draft, but struggled to stick in Jacksonville, being cut after two seasons.
Williams then came to the New York Jets, where he developed into a First-Team All-Pro linebacker, an honor he claimed in 2023. In 2024, Williams' play took a step back, tallying less tackles (139 in 2023 to 116 in 2024), pass breakups (10 in 2023, four in 2024) and quarterback hits (four in 2023, two in 2024).
Williams was still a valuable piece of the Jets' defense in 2024, but he didn't fully live up to his potential. New Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is challenging him to change that.
“Coach challenged me at the beginning,” Williams said this week. “When he first got the job, he gave me a call. We had an hour-and-a-half conversation just on his vision and also me getting his vision to the players and stuff so we were all on the same page. And then, he challenged me with a couple of things to work on this offseason and then to show it during the season.”
Glenn didn't reveal what exactly he challenged Williams in, but he said Williams has taken on the challenge.
“I told Quincy when he first came and met with me, there are some things that I want him to work on,” Glenn said, “and he is doing everything he can to get better at those things. Listen, I don’t lie to players, and he’s a really good player, but there’s also some things that he’s got to get better at, and he understands that.”
Williams' reaction to Glenn's critiques showed Glenn that the linebacker understands exactly what it takes to be great.
“That just goes to show you the sign of a really, really good player because they’re OK with criticism, and in this league, even the best players get criticized, but they want to be, too, because they want to be better,” Glenn said. “And he’s one of those guys that wants to be better. I pulled him in my office, told him some things he’s got to work on. He knows the things he’s good at, and the things he’s got to work on, he’s doing everything he can to get better at those things.”
Williams did let reporters in on one of the areas he's looking to improve on: Leadership.
“The first part of it is the one I’m working on right now, being a leader on the team and then also being a part of the foundation of the team, No. 1,” Williams said. “No. 2 was really just getting the defense down pat to become that person where I can look at the offense and worry about what the offense is doing and not more of what are we doing or where I fit into a defense.”
