49ers left tackle Trent Williams wore an orthopedic boot on his left foot and used crutches Tuesday. He called the injury “very minor.”
The season, though, took a toll on Williams, who would not guarantee a return when asked if he was considering retirement.
“It’s a long season,” Williams said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “And having two long seasons back-to-back, it does get pretty grueling for a 34-year-old guy like myself. I’ll be 35 when the [2023] season starts. You do kind of think about what’s life like after football. I’ve done this every year of my life since the second grade.
“You do get to that age, especially at the end the year like this, as exhausting as it was. And still not getting quite where you want to be. I get it. You get to that age. But, honestly, I’m just taking it one day at time, and we’ll see how that goes going forward.”
Williams signed a six-year, $138 million contract in 2021 and is due to make $39.45 million in base salary over the next two seasons. He remains at the top of his game, having made All-Pro each of the past two seasons.
But Williams, a 12-year veteran, admitted the grind of a season is wearing.
“I’d be lying say it didn’t,” Williams said. “Yeah, it does. It isn’t hard to get up for NFC Championship [Game], or playoffs or anything like that. But, yeah, the day-to-day grind does get pretty redundant [after] doing it for a long time.
“But I’m blessed. I’m blessed to have played this game for as long as I have. And whatever God has in the future for me, I know I’ll have it. But to answer your question, yeah, it does get a little like a rerun almost.”
