PITTSBURGH — Mike Williams was asleep. At least, he thought he was asleep.
The veteran wide receiver was trying to enjoy a nap on Tuesday when something kept interrupting him. His phone - the one that kept buzzing - showed five missed calls from his agent.
“I thought I was dreaming,” Williams said.
In a way, he was.
Rather than spend the stretch run trying to figure out how (or even if) he fits into the offense with the struggling New York Jets, Williams will spend it in Pittsburgh trying to help the AFC North-leading Steelers reach the postseason and win the franchise’s first playoff game in years.
There are worse destinations.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” Williams said. “I’m a playmaker. I make plays.”
Just not enough of them in New York anyway for the Jets to keep him around. Williams, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal with New York in the spring, had just 12 receptions for 166 yards in nine games with the Jets and didn’t reach the end zone once.
When New York traded for Davante Adams last month, Williams found himself tumbling down the depth chart.
That might not be an issue in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers (6-2) have spent months looking for another deep threat to line up opposite George Pickens.
Williams, 30, believes he still has that extra gear a year removed from a torn ACL. His rehab cost him valuable time during organized team activities and training camp, which Williams thinks led to a lack of chemistry - and ultimately a lack of production - with New York quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Still, Williams stressed that his time with the Jets was “cool” and is eager for a fresh start with a team that begins the second half of the season with everything still on the table.
Williams spent a portion of his first practice with Pittsburgh on Wednesday working with the first unit, and there’s a solid chance he will see the field on Sunday when the Steelers visit Washington.
Not that Williams is getting ahead of himself. He’s made it a point to “be where my feet are” since tearing the ACL in his left knee in September 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Los Angeles let a recovering Williams leave in free agency and while he had set up a visit with the Steelers, the first stop on his itinerary was in New York. The Jets didn’t let him out of the building before he agreed to a deal that ultimately didn’t work out.
Eight months later, Williams made his way to Pittsburgh, where he joins an offense that appears to be hitting its stride under Russell Wilson. The nine-time Pro Bowler is 2-0 since taking over in Week 7, his first start in a victory over Williams and the Jets.
“They, I mean we’re making noise around the league,” Williams said. “I’m excited to join these guys and be a positive (influence) on everything.”
He’s not the only one. The Steelers also acquired edge rusher Preston Smith from Green Bay on Tuesday, though under slightly different circumstances. Smith admits he requested a trade last month, concerned about his role after the Packers switched from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3.
Smith played just 54% of the snaps in nine games with Green Bay, his lowest since he was a rookie with Washington in 2015. The 32-year-old has 2 1/2 sacks in limited playing time this season. His arrival provides Pittsburgh’s outside linebacker group with needed depth behind stars T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Perhaps just as importantly to Smith, the Steelers are playing for something. He knew he was putting himself in the hands of the fates when he told Green Bay he wanted to move on. He could have landed anywhere.
He was grateful when he found out he was heading to Pittsburgh, though he admitted it wasn’t until he did a quick online search that he figured out how well the Steelers’ season was going. He was more than pleasantly surprised.
“I saw their record and I was kind of like ‘wooo,’” Smith said.
Though that enthusiasm was tinged ever so slightly by the realization that Pittsburgh was coming off its bye week and the Packers were entering theirs, meaning Smith could be active for 18 straight weeks.
Smith called it a “blessing” and believes there is still enough gas left in his tank to make an impact. He recalled meeting with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin ahead of the 2015 draft, though Pittsburgh took Bud Dupree in the first round while Smith went to Washington in the second.
Sitting inside the Steelers’ facility on Wednesday after a whirlwind 24 hours, Smith tried to acknowledge the moment.
“I always admired Mike Tomlin from afar and just being here and to be able to work with him, being in that first team meeting, just seeing how things go around (here),” Smith said, “I love him as a coach already.”
NOTES: Pittsburgh rookie center Zach Frazier practiced on Wednesday and expects to play in Washington. The first-round pick has missed each of Pittsburgh’s past two games with an ankle injury. … Outside linebacker Nick Herbig (hamstring) was limited. … Quarterback Justin Fields (hamstring) was a full participant after serving as the emergency quarterback behind Wilson and Kyle Allen two weeks ago against the New York Giants.
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