Mike Williams' short-lived stint in New York ended with his Tuesday trade to Pittsburgh.
It was a parting that was for the best for both sides, especially after the Jets swung a deal to acquire Aaron Rodgers' old running mate Davante Adams from the Raiders. With his Jets tenure now behind him, Williams is only looking forward to a dream-like scenario that Williams initially believed was, in fact, a dream.
"I was asleep," Williams said, . "I was feeling like my phone vibrating, but I thought I was dreaming. It was five missed calls from my agent and then the GM from the Jets called me and told me about the trade.
"Excited for the opportunity. Happy to be here. Looking forward to it. Ready to get this thing rolling."
Williams left a team led by a veteran quarterback for another squad with a similar situation, joining a Steelers squad that is enjoying the fruits of Mike Tomlin's decision to swap out Justin Fields in favor of Russell Wilson. They're 2-0 in Wilson's two starts, punctuating both wins with strong second halves powered by the 35-year-old's successes as a passer.
There was one significant difference between the teams, though: Pittsburgh desperately needed an addition at receiver, and after striking out on Brandon Aiyuk before the start of the 2024 season, they weren't going to accept the status quo, not even after Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson managed to produce with Wilson under center.
Williams represents an upgrade at the position and added depth, which the Steelers know they'll need as this season enters its final nine weeks. He's already envisioned becoming a productive running mate with ascending talent George Pickens.
"It's exciting. It starts up front, the running game. And then everybody sees plays that the receivers make," Williams said. "GP (George Pickens) going out there, making big time plays every game. So, adding me just added another threat, a guy that can go out there and make plays.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I'm a playmaker. I want to make plays. I want to get the ops. I'm going to go out and work and show that I deserve to be on the field."
If one thing is certain, Williams wasn't making many plays with the Jets. Now that he's in black and gold, he expects that to change for the better before long.
