San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams says he’s “probably” done after the 2026 NFL season, weighing whether to retire while he still believes he has “good product left.” With his 49ers future potentially nearing its end, the team has already built in
The morning question sounded simple enough in the locker-room noise: when will Trent Williams stop playing?
On Wednesday, the 49ers’ All-Pro left tackle didn’t give a firm date, but he did give a window. Williams told reporters he’ll “probably” call it quits in the NFL after the 2026 campaign. weighing whether to keep going “until I can’t no more” or to leave while he still thinks he can perform at a high level.
Williams is 37. He signed a two-year contract worth $50 million with San Francisco. and he’s still been producing—earning his 12th Pro Bowl nomination last season. Since joining the 49ers in 2020. after being selected as a 2010 first-round pick by the Washington Commanders. he has been a key part of San Francisco’s offense.
In the remarks, the tone shifted from football to family, and it landed with the force of timing. Williams said he has a daughter who was born three months before he was drafted. and that means he’s spent “year 17” in the NFL while she’s turning 17. “As a father. ” he said. “you feel like I’ve kind of felt like I missed her whole life.” He framed the decision as both competitive and personal—hard to ignore when the sport has been his focus for nearly two decades.
He also left room for uncertainty. Williams said there’s “little stuff I’ve got to think about,” adding that he “can’t tell the future.” Still, he described himself as a competitor, saying, “It’s hard not to compete when you can, so we’ll see.”
The 49ers, meanwhile, are preparing for the possibility that their left tackle cornerstone won’t be there forever. They have a succession plan in motion. San Francisco signed Vederian Lowe to a two-year contract this offseason. and Lowe could serve as a swing tackle for Williams and Colton McKivitz this fall. The team also selected Enrique Cruz out of Kansas in the fifth round of April’s draft. adding another left tackle option for the 2027 campaign.
Even with those moves. the pressure point remains obvious: it will be hard—if not impossible—to replace Williams when he finally steps away. His blend of longevity and elite play has kept San Francisco’s protection and run support organized for years. If this is trending toward an exit after 2026. it means the 49ers won’t just be swapping out a starter; they’ll be trying to rebuild the kind of presence that only comes with someone who has already done it this long and this well.
Trent Williams 49ers San Francisco 49ers NFL retirement 2026 season All-Pro left tackle Pro Bowl Vederian Lowe Colton McKivitz Enrique Cruz