Connor Williams wasn’t happy — part of Seahawks getting zero return on $21M in investments

Connor Williams wasn’t happy.

It’s was easy to see in his face, and hear in his voice. The seventh-year veteran, a starting offensive lineman in every one of those seasons since he entered the NFL, wasn’t playing near the standard he’d set for himself long ago.

“I’m a perfectionist of my game,” Williams told The News Tribune a month ago.

That was when he and his Seahawks had just lost to San Francisco. It was the team’s third consecutive defeat, ruining a 3-0 start.

Williams was, and still is, not yet a full year removed from shredding his knee and requiring reconstructive surgery. It was two months after he signed late in training camp, with the Seahawks for one season and $4 million.

His Seattle deal guaranteed him $2.98 million, regardless of how he played at a position that has been a black hole for Seattle for going on 10 years.

That didn’t matter to Williams. It wasn’t about the money. He has earned more than $22 million playing NFL football despite two knee reconstructions while in the league. That’s enough by plenty for a comfortable life for him and his new wife Aubreay. They married seven months ago, in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico.

Yet something was definitely not right for Williams.

He was sending shotgun snaps far over the head of quarterback Geno Smith. The 6-foot-5 Williams said he needed to keep his hips lower on those. On a fourth-down play from the 1-yard line against Buffalo two games ago, Williams got pushed back as he did often this season and stepped on Smith’s foot. The quarterback fell, the prime scoring chance ruined.

“I’m definitely nowhere close to where I want to be,” he told the TNT Oct. 14, standing at his locker following a practice at the team’s headquarters. “And I’m nowhere close to contributing to this team and to this offense.”

One month later, he is nowhere close to playing football anymore.

Williams has abruptly retired, at age 27. Coach Mike Macdonald announced that Friday following practice, two days before the Seahawks (4-5) get their rematch with their conquering 49ers (5-4) in Santa Clara (Sunday, 1:05 p.m., channel 13).

“Connor early this week decided to retire. Personal reasons, and we respect that,” Macdonald said. “Wish him the best. We’ve got to move forward.”

The rookie head coach who’s had quite the week coming off Seattle’s bye was asked if he thinks Williams might change his mind and return to playing over the final eight games of this season.

“I don’t believe so,” Macdonald said. “We honor his wishes and keep all those reasons and conversations private for obvious reasons. We wish him the best.”

Olu Oluwatimi, who was the expected starting center until Williams began practicing with the Seahawks Aug. 23, will start Sunday against the 49ers defensive line. It has dominated Seattle’s offensive line in the six consecutive wins San Francisco has in this division rivalry.

“Olu will play center for us right now, and we’re excited for his opportunity,” Macdonald said.

Right tackle Abe Lucas will join Oluwatimi starting on the line Sunday. It will be Lucas’ season debut. He hasn’t played since last Dec. 31. Lucas had knee surgery last winter.

Macdonald declined to say when he first learned Williams was thinking of quitting. The coach began this week saying coaches had been considering moving Williams to guard to help that problem spot. But they decided to leave him at center.

Williams, a Texas native, did not rejoin the team Monday when it had its first practice following the six-day break the Seahawks got last week for their bye.

“Yeah, you start getting to timetables and all that...I’d rather keep it private between Connor and the things that he’s working through. But it was this week,” Macdonald said.

The coach indicated Williams’ decision was not related to his reconstructed knee from his surgery last winter, after he final game playing two seasons for the Miami Dolphins in December 2023.

“Yeah, personal reasons. That’s right,” Macdonald said.

Problems with centers. And free agents

So it goes at a most problematic position for the Seahawks. Oluwatimi is the 10th starting center the team’s had in the 10 seasons since it traded Pro Bowl center Max Unger.

That was in March 2015, with a first-roiund draft choice to the New Orleans Saints for tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round pick.

Williams’ retirement means the three biggest free-agent signings from other teams made by Seahawks general manager John Schneider before this season are either gone or hurt and not contributing.

Schneider signed Williams late in training camp 8 1/2 months after he had torn knee ligaments while playing for Miami and needed reconstructive surgery. The GM traded weakside linebacker Jerome Baker (one year, $6.02 million guaranteed) to Tennessee late last month so Macdonald could get Ernest Jones IV from the Titans as his new Seahawks middle linebacker. Macdonald needed Jones because. Tyrel Dodson (one year, $4 million) failed at both middle then weakside linbeacker. Seattle cut Dodson this week.

The Seahawks are paying safety Rayshawn Jenkins over $4 million this season, on his two-year contract he signed from Jacksonville. He’s on injured reserve.

“I believe he’s eligible to come back next week, so we will see next week,” Macdonald said. “But, excited to have him back when we get the opportunity.”

Tackle George Fant went on injured reserve this week for the second time this season. He’s played 30 snaps total in two starts. The Seahawks gave Fant $3.7 million guaranteed this spring on a two-year deal worth up to $9.1 million.

Safety K’Von Wallace signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract this offseason. He is also on injured reserve.

Counting Williams, that’s zero, zilch return right now on more than $21.5 million in investments for the last-place team in the NFC West.

“It’s out of everybody’s control,” Macdonald said, of Williams’ retirement. “It’s what the situation is. So you’ve got to honor the situation and respect where he’s coming from and move forward.”