Seahawks DE Reflects on Trades, Trials and Trusting God’s Plan Throughout NFL Journey

Published: February 9, 2026

By Mallory Mattingly

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams is grateful for the journey God has taken him on throughout his career.

“I would say that the biggest ones are, you know, trust in the process, trust in Him, trust in my family and my surroundings,” Williams shared in an interview before Super Bowl LX, per Sports Spectrum. “That’s really all I can offer, just trust and patience.

“You know, I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. I’ve been through a lot of trades, I’ve been through a lot of injuries, a lot of moments where I could have given up,” the defensive tackle continued. “And, you know, there’ve been times where I’ve almost wanted to, you know, I was like, Okay, I mean, I’m in year eight or nine, I feel like I’ve had a long career. Maybe I can hang it up now. And, you know, in those moments, something told me to keep going, and I kept trusting the process, and now here I am.”

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Williams then spoke to how many of his teammates have been vocal about their faith this season and how his journey has differed.

“I’ve definitely had my own journey with it. Like I just said, I didn’t grow up going to church. I didn’t really get introduced to my faith until I was a little bit older, which is beautiful in its own way, because it goes to show it’s never too late,” Leonard explained. “Everyone has their own journey. I don’t think it’s ever a comparable thing. You should never try to compare yourself to where someone else is at. Just take it on your own journey.”

According to Sports Spectrum, Williams began playing football in high school in “Daytona Beach, Florida, before heading west to play college ball at USC. Then, he headed back east when the New York Jets drafted him with the sixth overall pick in 2015. He was traded mid-season to the Giants in 2019, then made his way back to the West Coast when he was traded to the Seahawks in the middle of the 2023 season.”

For more inspiring sports stories, check out Sports Spectrum.

In a recent interview, the athlete spoke about his journey and the ups and downs he’s experienced throughout his career.

“When you always see even the hardships in your life as God’s will, not just the highlights of your life, it kind of brings you to peace,” he explained on the “Sports Spectrum” podcast. “It’s like these times when I have to get traded from a New York team all the way to the West Coast in Seattle in the middle of a season, in those moments, I could easily break down. But when I see it as God’s will, it kind of brings peace to your life. Maybe there’s going to be great things for me to come in Seattle, and so far it has been great. It’s been a great move for us.”