Well, we know he was going to be a fan favorite and he did not disappoint. Newly-signed New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams was introduced as an official signing on Friday and brought every bit of jovial charm that was expected along with him. From leaning in on his anime fandom while rocking the Eevee-themed hat (a character from the Pokémon franchise), to boisterously displaying his excitement, Williams is going to quickly endear himself to Saints fans that may not know him yet.
In the midst of the fun and joy, Williams also expressed how it is that he hopes to fit in the organization, contribute on the field and lead in the locker room. The Saints are clearly focused on character and culture additions this offseason and Williams looks like he’ll be a cornerstone of exactly that. Here are five key takeaways from the running back’s introductory presser.
Williams received an offer to return to the Detroit Lions, but felt it was "disrespectful"
Williams was very up front about how things transpired in his departure from Detroit.
“Basically, they’ve been done with it,” he said. “I could tell. But it’s just like the offer they gave me, I feel like was very just disrespectful and just showing that they really didn’t want me to really be there like that.”
It’s been reported that the offer he received from the Lions wasn’t dissimilar from that signed by David Montgomery, but it doesn’t sound like that was the main issue. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, it wasn’t the financial offer from Detroit that was deemed “disrespectful” it was the way that the negotiations were handled. Once New Orleans showed they wanted him, it was an easy choice for the former Lion. The source asked not to be identified because he isn’t authorized to speak on behalf of the teams involved.
So, the concern wasn’t centered around the money or contract. The “disrespect” that Williams mentioned came from something else entirely. Important to remember when players discuss their contracts that not everything is about the dollars and cents.
The Saints came out of nowhere
Williams said that he felt like he manifested the opportunity to play in New Orleans with a parting comment to Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas at the Super Bowl.
“But the funny part is I feel like I manifested this, kind of. Because Coach Thomas, he’s a great dude, he’s a great dude. And we was just like, not really talking at the Super Bowl, we were just casually saying like, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ just talking a little bit. And the last thing I said to him when we was breaking off was like, ‘I’ll see you soon.’ I just said it. ‘I’ll see you soon.’ Not ‘bye’ or nothing like that. See you soon. So now that really sticks in my head.”
He again referenced Thomas when discussing his excitement to be in New Orleans and part of why he chose this opportunity. The Saints made it clear to him that they wanted him, a sentiment new starting quarterback Derek Carr highlighted last weekend and would later be echoed in the introduction of defensive tackle Khalen Saunders. The Saints are hitting on all cylinder when it comes to recruitment by simply letting players know that they are wanted by the organization.
Williams is out to prove he's more than a power back
A lot of detractors from the signing are hesitant because of how many of Williams’ 17 rushing touchdowns in 2022 were in short, goal-to-goal situations. While 14 of his NFL-leading 17 scoring runs were within 4 yards, he’s intent to prove that he’s more than just a short-yardage back. Although, he appreciates the value of the misconception.
“I want y’all to think that I’m only a goal line runner,” Williams said. “So that when I get into the open field and start breaking them. i don’t want to hear nobody talking about, ‘Oh he can do it!’ I don’t want to hear none of that. Go back to calling me what you thought I was. Because what I like to do is prove people wrong.”
It’s worth mentioning that back in 2018 when fellow running back Alvin Kamara scored 14 rushing touchdowns that 10 of which were also from within 4 yards of the end zone. The Saints have shown a propensity in the past to use their best players new pay dirt and now they have a new option. But the expectation is that Williams intends to be much more than just that.
It's clear that Williams is excited about his new opportunity
For various reasons, the BYU graduate is very excited to be in New Orleans. Among the many elements of this landing spot he highlighted he emphasized how happy is to be reunited for former college teammate and offensive weapon Taysom Hill (with whom he did a ton of damage for the Cougars), he loves to be paired with other elite running backs and now he gets to work with Kamara in the backfield and he is eager to build on a career year from 2022.
The Saints emphasis on culture and leadership shines in Williams’ demeanor and energy. “But I’m just excited,” he said. “Like, I am trembling with excitement right now, I’m just shaking. I can’t wait to go. I’m just grateful to be here.”
Williams immediately established who he is
Yeah, the anime talk and Eevee hat are great and all. But Williams is clearly more than just his apparel and media genre of choice. “You would think I’m all,” Williams said as he presented a big smile. “But this smile can be like, pretty evil too. … Sometimes, it depends what type of mood I’m in.” And that evil mood is something that you can see with how hard he runs on the field.
But don’t worry. At the bottom of it all, he’s not actually evil. He just plays that way on the gridiron. For his new fanbase, it’s a different story, “I feel like just me having a good attitude and energy about this whole situation led me here to a great spot and being able to be picked up here and be a Saint.”
