Connor Williams Bio
Connor Williams is an American former professional football player who played as a center in the National Football League (NFL). Over the course of his career, he appeared for the Dallas Cowboys, the Miami Dolphins, and the Seattle Seahawks, earning a reputation as a durable interior offensive lineman. Williams gained national attention as a consensus All-American at the University of Texas at Austin before being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After several seasons split between guard and center, he retired mid-season in 2024 at the age of 27.
Early Life and Background
Connor Williams was born on May 12, 1997, in Coppell, Texas. He grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and attended Coppell High School, where he emerged as a promising two-way athlete. His mother is of Mexican descent, and Williams has spoken publicly about being bullied during his middle school years, a challenge he later credited with shaping his resilience.
At Coppell High School, Williams played multiple positions during his development. As a freshman, he started the final three games at right tackle. The following season he was moved to tight end before eventually settling in at left tackle by the end of his sophomore year. As a senior, he was a two-way player, allowing just one sack and one holding penalty on offense while contributing 38 tackles, three sacks, five forced fumbles, and two passes defensed on defense. He was a second-team 6A All-State and All-District selection.
Williams also played basketball at Coppell and was a high school teammate of future NFL defensive lineman Solomon Thomas. His combination of size, athleticism, and football intelligence made him one of the most heavily recruited offensive linemen in the state of Texas.
Path to American Football
Coming out of high school, Williams accepted a scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin, joining a Longhorns program with a strong tradition of producing NFL offensive linemen. He made an immediate impact at the college level, starting all 12 games at left tackle as a true freshman and earning Freshman All-American honors for the 2015 season.
As a sophomore in 2016, Williams started 11 of 12 games at left tackle and was widely regarded as one of the best offensive tackles in college football. That season he became just the fourth sophomore in Texas Longhorns history to be named a consensus first-team All-American. He was also a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
His junior season in 2017 was interrupted by a left knee injury suffered in the third game against USC, forcing him to miss several contests before returning against West Virginia. He started only five of 12 games that year. On November 27, 2017, Williams announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2018 NFL Draft, opting not to play in the 2017 Texas Bowl.
Connor Williams Career
Early Career (2018)
Williams was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round, 50th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft, with the initial plan of playing him at guard. He was named the starting left guard out of training camp and started the first eight games of his rookie season before being benched in Week 10 in favor of Xavier Su’a-Filo. He later started two games at right guard while filling in for an injured Zack Martin, showing positional versatility early in his career.
Dallas Cowboys Tenure (2018–2021)
In 2019, Williams entered the season as Dallas’s starting left guard and started 11 games. He missed one contest due to arthroscopic knee surgery before suffering a torn right ACL in Week 13, ending his season and placing him on injured reserve on December 1, 2019.
Williams returned healthy in 2020 and started all 16 games at left guard for the first time in his career, missing only a single offensive snap in the season opener. He had to adjust to four different starting quarterbacks during the year but solidified himself as one of the more consistent guards in the league.
His 2021 season was more turbulent. Briefly tried at center during training camp, he remained at left guard but struggled with penalties, leading the league with 13 penalties through the first 10 weeks. He was benched for four games in favor of third-year guard Connor McGovern but regained his starting job in Week 15. Despite finishing the year tied for second in the league with 15 total penalties, he allowed the fewest pressures of any Cowboys offensive lineman to start a game and surrendered only one sack.
Miami Dolphins Era (2022–2023)
On March 17, 2022, Williams signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. The team moved him to center, where he beat out Michael Deiter for the starting job during organized team activities. He started all 17 games, allowing three sacks and six penalties, and was the only Dolphins player to participate in 100 percent of the offensive snaps that season.
In 2023, Williams missed mandatory mini-camp as he sought a contract extension, but returned to the field as the first-string center. He suffered a groin injury in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos and was later placed on injured reserve on December 13, 2023, after tearing his left ACL in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. He finished the year with nine appearances, allowing six quarterback pressures and one sack across 280 pass-blocking snaps.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2024)
On August 6, 2024, Williams agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Despite concerns about his recovery from the ACL injury, he returned to action in just nine months and was named the starting center for the season opener. He started all nine games he played and did not miss a single offensive snap at center.
On November 15, 2024, Williams abruptly announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 27, midway through the season. In his final two games, he struggled with errant shotgun snaps, including one that resulted in a 19-yard loss in Week 8. He was replaced on the depth chart by Olu Oluwatimi.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although he played on the offensive line, Williams built his reputation on durability, technique, and positional flexibility. He transitioned successfully from left tackle in college to left guard with the Cowboys and then to center with the Dolphins and Seahawks. His ability to play every offensive snap, combined with his strength in pass protection, made him a reliable piece of any offensive line he joined.
Notable Events and Milestones
Williams’ career featured several defining moments, including his selection as a consensus All-American as only the fourth sophomore in Texas history, his recovery from a torn ACL in 2019 to start every game in 2020, and his perfect snap count as the only Dolphins player to play 100 percent of offensive snaps in 2022. His sudden mid-season retirement in November 2024 brought a quiet close to a seven-year NFL career.
Connor Williams Career Wins
Connor Williams competed across multiple NFL seasons and was part of several winning team efforts, though the focus of his career was consistency and protection rather than headline statistics. His teams reached the postseason during his time with the Dallas Cowboys, including a 2021 Wild Card matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Other Wins & Performances
Williams earned recognition as a Freshman All-American in 2015, a consensus first-team All-American in 2016, and a first-team All-Big 12 selection the same year. He was also a second-team 6A All-State honoree in high school, and his college and professional careers established him as one of the more dependable interior linemen of his draft class.
Connor Williams Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Williams’ older brother, Dalton Williams, also played college football at Stephen F. Austin and Akron, giving the family a clear athletic pedigree. Their mother is of Mexican descent, and the family has long been rooted in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas.
Personal Life
Williams has spoken openly about being bullied during middle school, an experience he credits with helping him develop mental toughness that carried into his football career. He has generally kept his personal and family life private, focusing public attention on his play and his recovery from injuries.
2025 Season Performance
Connor Williams did not play during the 2025 NFL season after announcing his retirement on November 15, 2024, midway through the previous year. His name remained on the Seattle Seahawks’ ledger as a recently retired center, but he was not part of any active roster heading into 2025.
His decision to step away at 27 came shortly after returning from a torn ACL that had ended his 2023 campaign, and concerns about his long-term health were central to the choice. By retiring, Williams closed the book on a career that spanned the Cowboys, Dolphins, and Seahawks and left behind a reputation for toughness and consistency along the offensive line.
With Williams out of the league, the Seahawks turned to Olu Oluwatimi as their primary center, while the broader storyline around Williams shifted from on-field production to his post-football life. Any return to football in 2025 was ruled out by his retirement announcement.