Mike Williams Opens Up on 'Terrible' 2024 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Mar 17, 2025 3:24 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers shocked the NFL world last week when they signed wide receiver Mike Williams to a one-year deal. The deal wasn’t shocking because it was a bloated contract, rather the former first round wideout was coming off an abysmal season.

Williams was coming off a season where he tore his ACL, so while it’s understandable his production took a hit, he looked like a shell of himself. He made a name for himself as an athletic, jump ball receiver, and even during his best games last season, he played nothing like that.

It will be an uphill battle for Williams to get remotely close to the player that he used to be, but fortunately he is aware.

During his introductory press conference with the team, he flat-out said that last year was “terrible.” He expressed his appreciation for being able to pick future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ brain but acknowledges that he needs to produce more to prove his value to a team.

The promising aspect of the return is the familiarity that both sides have with each other. The roster and coaching staff look wholly different than they did the last time Williams was with the team, but he is banking on the strong connection he built with his quarterback Justin Herbert.

He says that the two have extreme confidence in each other, so if they’re able to rebuild that rapport quickly, Williams may be able to squeeze some more juice out of his career.

It’s unlikely that he’ll return to the acrobatic, big play receiver that he was during his first stint in Los Angeles, but he can still be a big boost to the receiving corp. The former No. 7 pick will provide the big body, calming veteran presence that the Chargers sorely missed out wide last season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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