Quinnen Williams Bio
Quinnen Williams (born December 20, 1997) is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 300 pounds, he plays one of the most physical positions on the defensive line. He rose to national prominence as a stand-out at the University of Alabama before being selected by the New York Jets with the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He is the younger brother of linebacker Quincy Williams.
Early Life and Background
Quinnen Williams was born on December 20, 1997, in Birmingham, Alabama, in the United States. He grew up in the Birmingham area and attended Wenonah High School, where he developed into one of the most heavily recruited defensive linemen in his class. As a senior, he was rated as a four-star prospect and the 17th best defensive tackle in the country for the class of 2016 by the 247Sports Composite. His mother died of breast cancer in 2010, a personal loss that shaped his early years and his drive to succeed.
Coming out of high school, Williams originally committed to Auburn University to play college football. He later changed his commitment to the University of Alabama on June 30, 2015, opting to join one of the most decorated programs in the country. That decision set the stage for one of the most decorated individual careers in recent Crimson Tide history.
Path to American Football
Williams arrived at the University of Alabama in 2016 and redshirted his first year with the program, learning the system and adding size to his frame. He broke into the rotation in 2017 as a redshirt freshman, playing in all 14 games and recording 20 tackles along with two sacks. He also appeared in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, registering two tackles in Alabama’s victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.
Entering his redshirt sophomore season, Williams was named the starting nose guard ahead of Alabama’s 2018 opener against Louisville. He delivered six total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in that game, earning SEC Co-Defensive Line Player of the Week honors. He followed that with a dominant performance in a shutout win against LSU on November 3, finishing with 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks, which earned him Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
After that season, Williams was named a unanimous first-team All-American and a first-team All-SEC selection. He was awarded the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman and also received the Bill Willis Trophy. His 20 tackles for loss tied for second in the SEC, while his eight sacks tied for fifth in the conference. On January 11, 2019, Williams announced that he would forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and enter the 2019 NFL draft.
Quinnen Williams Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Quinnen Williams was selected by the New York Jets with the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. On July 25, 2019, he agreed to a four-year rookie deal with the Jets worth $32.5 million, including a $21.6 million signing bonus and a fifth-year team option. He made his regular-season debut on September 8, 2019, against the Buffalo Bills but left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Williams recorded his first career sack in Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins on Ryan Fitzpatrick, and added his first career fumble recovery the following week against the New York Giants. He finished his rookie year with 28 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery across 13 games played.
In his second season, Williams opened 2020 with his first two sacks of the year in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers. He added 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble against the Dolphins in Week 12 before a December 23, 2020, placement on injured reserve ended his season two games early. He finished the year with one All-Pro vote.
New York Jets Breakthrough (2021–2024)
Williams battled a small foot fracture revealed on May 4, 2021, and had surgery three days later, but he returned to play a full 16-game slate. On October 4, 2021, in a game against the Tennessee Titans, Quinnen and his brother Quincy, who had joined the Jets earlier that season, made NFL history by each recording a sack in the same game. He finished 2021 with six sacks, 53 tackles, and three passes defended. On April 26, 2022, the Jets picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, and he responded with a career-best 12 sacks, 55 tackles, four passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery, earning First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection.
On July 13, 2023, Williams signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the Jets that included $66 million in guaranteed money. In 2023, he was credited with a Week 13 safety against the Atlanta Falcons and finished the year with 5.5 sacks, 62 tackles, one interception, three passes defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery, earning another Pro Bowl nod. He was ranked 37th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024. In 2024, Williams started all 16 games he appeared in, posting six sacks, 37 tackles, and 18 quarterback hits, and was ranked 87th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2025–Present)
Williams opened the 2025 season with the New York Jets, recording one sack, 32 tackles, and three quarterback hits across the first eight games. On November 4, 2025, the Jets traded him to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for defensive tackle Mazi Smith, a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NFL draft, the higher of the Cowboys’ or Packers’ selections. The move gave Dallas a proven interior disruptor midway through the season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Williams is known for his quick first step, strong hands, and ability to win with both power and leverage at the line of scrimmage. He generates consistent interior pressure, holds up against the run, and creates disruption for opposing backfields. His game has matured from a penetrating pass-rusher into a complete three-down defensive tackle who can anchor, redirect plays, and finish sacks.
Notable Events and Milestones
Highlights of his career include being a 2017 College Football Playoff National Champion at Alabama, winning the 2018 Outland Trophy and Bill Willis Trophy, earning First-Team All-Pro honors in 2022, and making four consecutive Pro Bowls from 2022 through 2025. He and his brother Quincy also became the first siblings to record a sack in the same NFL game in 2021.
Quinnen Williams Career Wins
Quinnen Williams has built a résumé that includes conference and national championships, major individual awards, and multiple Pro Bowl selections across both college and the professional ranks.
New York Jets Highlights
During his time with the Jets from 2019 through 2025, Williams earned four Pro Bowl selections, one First-Team All-Pro nod, and registered double-digit sacks in 2022. He was part of a Jets defense that produced 16 regular-season wins across his most productive campaigns, and he signed a four-year, $96 million extension in 2023 reflecting his value to the franchise.
Other Wins and Performances
At the University of Alabama, Williams was a 2017 College Football Playoff National Champion, a unanimous first-team All-American, and a first-team All-SEC selection in 2018, capping his college career with the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman.
Quinnen Williams Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Quinnen Williams comes from a close family in Birmingham, Alabama, and is the younger brother of linebacker Quincy Williams, who also plays in the NFL. The brothers have shared the field with the New York Jets and have made history together by each recording a sack in the same game.
Personal Life
Williams was raised in the Birmingham area and has spoken about the influence of his late mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 2010. His older brother Quincy remains one of the closest people in his life, and the two continue to be linked by their journey through professional football.
2025 Season Performance
Williams began the 2025 season as a central piece of the New York Jets’ defensive front, starting games and serving as a leader in the locker room. Across the first eight games of the year, he posted one sack, 32 tackles, and three quarterback hits, providing steady production despite the Jets’ struggles.
On November 4, 2025, the Jets traded Williams to the Dallas Cowboys in a deal that sent defensive tackle Mazi Smith, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 conditional first-round pick back to New York. The trade gave Williams a fresh start on a Cowboys team in the thick of the playoff race and a chance to elevate a defensive line in need of an impact player.
Heading into the second half of the 2025 season, Williams is expected to slot into a featured role along the Dallas interior, with his combination of pass-rush quickness and run-defense strength making him a logical anchor for the Cowboys’ defensive game plan. His 2025 Pro Bowl selection underscores the level at which he is still playing, and his performance in Dallas could shape both his late-career trajectory and the Cowboys’ push toward the postseason.