Going into the Seattle Seahawks’ Week 13 showdown against the New York Jets, one of the biggest talking points was quarterback Geno Smith’s “homecoming” against the team that drafted him back in 2013. But a lesser talked about storyline was another “homecoming” for star defensive lineman Leonard Williams.
Of course, we at Seahawks Wire were well aware of the significance of Williams returning to face the team that picked him No. 6 overall during the 2015 NFL draft.
Big Cat reminded the Jets faithful why their team spent such precious draft capital on him, and why they should have found a way to keep him a lot longer than they did. Williams was an absolute terror in Week 13, sacking Aaron Rodgers twice, snagging an interception and returning it for a touchdown. In fact, his dominance was quite literally historic!
In today’s @Seahawks victory, @leonardwilliams became the 1st player since 1982 with multiple sacks, an interception-return TD & a blocked kick in a game. pic.twitter.com/i00ETb2P0x
— NFL345 (@NFL345) December 1, 2024
Leonard Williams’ 92-yard pick-six is the longest by a defensive lineman in NFL history, according to ESPN Research.
The 310-pound Williams said he was looking to pitch the ball after he crossed midfield. pic.twitter.com/GWudsf4ZPY
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) December 1, 2024
For the record, 1982 was the first year the NFL started to tack sacks as an official statistic. So as far as the official league record books are concerned, this could very likely be the only time this has ever happened.
The Seahawks inked Williams to a three-year, $64 million extension this past offseason. After his dominant game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12, then his historic one in Week 13, I think it is safe to say he is worth every penny the team has (and will pay) him.
