Last week was difficult for Jets linebacker Quincy Williams.
Not only was his brother and teammate for five seasons, Quinnen, traded to the Cowboys, but he was demoted due to “underperforming.”
However, Williams played his best game of the season in the Jets 27-20 victory over the Browns on Sunday. He finished with seven tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack.
During the third quarter, when he sacked Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Williams did Quinnen’s sack dance to honor his brother.
“It wasn’t planned,” Williams said. “When I got the sack, the first thing that came to my mind was dang, I wanted to celebrate with my brother. So I just had to celebrate with him.
“He at home right now because they had a bye week. So he had a chance to watch it. Came back to my phone and he said he seen it, so it felt good.”
Williams, 29, said he came in on Monday this week and the Jets’ coaches told him that he was working with the second-string defensive unit. In the midst of that, he also had to see his brother dealt to Dallas.
Williams was also rumored to be possibly traded, too. There were rumors he was going to be part of a packaged deal with his brother, but the Cowboys traded for Logan Wilson, who was previously with the Bengals.
“Coming out of the bye, the focus is going 1-0,” Williams said. “Not really worried about what happened before the bye. We were excited about our win, but we would keep chopping wood and carrying water.
“I feel like everybody came with that mindset and we showed it today, starting with this game.”
This has been a challenging year in general for Williams. He missed four games due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 3 against Tampa Bay. Entering Sunday, he had 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks in four games. In addition, Williams hasn’t played up to expectations under first-year coach Aaron Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ defensive scheme.
Williams is in the final year of his contract and has been one of the pillars of the Jets defense, which finished in the top five in yards allowed from 2022-24. But this season, the Jets defense has been inconsistent. They ranked 21st in yards and 27th in points allowed coming into Sunday.
Williams didn’t start the game at his usual spot as one of the Jets nickel package linebackers. On Sunday, in addition to Jamien Sherwood, veteran Mykal Walker, who signed to the active roster last month, got the start instead. Williams was used only in the Jets-based 4-3 defensive formation.
However, in the second quarter, Williams returned to his nickel spot and made several positive plays that positively impacted the Jets’ defense.
“My mindset was, they were going to say my name as many times as they can,” Williams said. “I just did what Quincy always do. The biggest thing was just getting on the field, actually getting to showcase that.
“I was injured, so it was just reminding the Jets organization who I am.”
The Jets claimed Williams off waivers before the start of the 2021 season. During that time, he quickly became a starter and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2023, with his brother Quinnen also on the Jets’ defensive line. That led to the team rewarding him with a three-year, $18 million contract extension in 2023.
Williams says it was odd playing without his brother, Quinnen on the team for the first time since becoming a Jet.
“All the stuff that I learned from him, I just took that throughout the week,” Williams said. “Took that throughout the day and worried about this week and not really worried about my emotions and stuff like that.
“It was a lot of emotions about a lot of stuff, but I let God handle that and continue doing what he’s already instructed me to do, and things are going to work out for me.”
The Jets also traded cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts this week in exchange for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. After allowing 17 points at halftime, the Jets’ defense stiffened against the Browns in the second half and held them to just three points after halftime. They also sacked Gabriel six times, including four by pass rusher Will McDonald.
“Obviously, coach [Glenn] made that decision, that’s out of my hands,” McDonald said about the trades this week. “I appreciate everything that Quinnen did for this organization, especially for the D-Line.
“Coming in as a rookie, he was teaching me a lot of things. Sauce, he was always one of those guys that we wanted to be around. It was kind of heartbreaking to see them leave, but I think we are going to continue to carry on with the things that we have now and keep trusting the process, and we are going to get right.”
