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New England Patriots defensive lineman Milton Williams.
When the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2025, you could make the case the best defensive player on the field was interior defensive lineman Milton Williams.
Williams, a 2021 third round pick out of Louisiana Tech, dominated the line of scrimmage from start to finish. In the final year of his rookie contract, it should have meant the Eagles backing up a Brinks Truck full of money to Williams’ front door.
That didn’t happen.
Williams wound up part of a free agency bidding war — 1 that didn’t involve the Eagles — and signed a 4-year, $104 million contract from the New England Patriots. Now, he’s one of the stars on the Patriots’ defense as he tries to win a second consecutive Super Bowl.
Looking back, the idea the Eagles didn’t want Williams back ended up hurting him more than anyone knew.
Williams’ father told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane his son “wanted to cry” after not getting the offer from the Eagles.
Instead, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman decided the team’s future on the defensive line was with a pair of first round picks in NFL All-Pro Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
“Williams, a two-star recruit coming out of high school in Crowley, Tex., said the Philadelphia Eagles never made him an offer to return after he chased down Patrick Mahomes twice in last year’s Super Bowl rout of the Kansas City Chiefs,” The Athletic’s Vic Tafur wrote. “Instead, he joined new coach Mike Vrabel and a pack of rabid free-agent signings to turn the Patriots defense into a power, especially over the last month.”
Williams Almost Passed on Patriots
ESPN’s Adam Schefter originally reported Williams was headed to the Carolina Panthers before the deal switched course to the AFC East.
“Splash: The #Patriots are taking the biggest defender off the market, as Eagles DT Milton Williams lands in New England,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on March 10. “Williams gets $26M per year.”
The pursuit of Williams ended up being a horse race down the stretch, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano: “Milton Williams agreed to a new deal with the New England Patriots, but the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals and Pats were all negotiating with him this afternoon. One source says Williams’ deal with the Patriots will average $26 million per season.”
Williams’ contract with the Patriots far exceeded his projected market value, doing so by almost $10 million per season after Spotrac had him in line for a deal worth $17.9 million per season in free agency.
Through his first 4 seasons, Williams has just $6.8 million in career earnings.
Williams Upped Value With Super Bowl Performance
After a bravura performance in the Super Bowl with 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery, Williams headed into free agency looking to cash out a massive payday with another team. At one point in the Super Bowl, Williams dunked the ball over the crossbar after a strip sack and fumble recovery on Patrick Mahomes deep in Chiefs territory — a wild feat of athleticism for a 6-foot-3, 290 pounder
The payday with the Pats represents quite a step up from the 4-year, $3.1 million rookie contract he signed with the Eagles after they drafted him in the third round (No. 73 overall) out of Louisiana Tech in the 2021 NFL draft.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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