Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams discussed his just-signed contract extension on Thursday.
The last time Leonard Williams signed a contract with the Seahawks, re-signing before the start of free agency in 2024, he interrupted a vacation to Japan to fly back to Seattle to sign the deal.
This time around, the journey to sign was substantially easier, yet no less significant. Williams, who first came to the Seahawks in a 2023 midseason trade, then re-signed following that season, signed a multi-year contract extension on Thursday, putting pen to paper between practice and the team's departure for a preseason game in Kansas City.
The deal is just the latest of several key extensions given out by the Seahawks, who since the end of last season have also extended receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, outside linebacker Derick Hall and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, and it could very well ensure that Williams, who is heading into his 12th season in the NFL, retires with the Seahawks.
"It feels amazing," Williams said while holding his five-month-old son, Zion, during a press conference. "I think this is my first time being extended while under contract with a team. It goes to show what type of organization we have here and how much respect and love and appreciation that I have here. I'm grateful to John (Schneider) and coach Mike (Macdonald) and everybody that it took to get this done and continue my career here, it feels amazing."
On the possibility of finishing his career as a Seahawk, Williams added, "It is exciting to think about it. Some of my best ball has been played here, some of my best relationships have been made here. I won a Super Bowl here. I feel like Seattle has changed my life, changed my career. It means a lot to me to be able to finish that here."
Williams has talked in the past about how, during lean seasons in New York—he began his career with the Jets before eventually being traded to the Giants, making the playoffs just once in eight seasons—he considered an early retirement, but in Seattle he has been rejuvenated, playing some of the best football of his life since turning 30, including back-to-back Pro-Bowl seasons and a second-team All-Pro nod over the past two years.
"It's transformed me a lot," he said. "I've had an up and down career. I had an up and down life outside of football as well. Since I've been here, I've been more grounded, more locked in with the team, more locked in with my life outside of football. It's made me a better person on the field and off the field.
"I attribute that to the organization, from the top down, it's very family oriented here. It makes you focus on football. The city, the fanbase, it's a perfect storm of curating a good environment here. It allows people to succeed in this type of environment."
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald referred to Williams as "a foundational player" for the Seahawks and their defense, and noted that, at age 32, the veteran defensive tackle is on top of his game.
"Some of the best in the world," Macdonald said when asked about the type of football he has seen out of Williams in Seattle. "His production is high, but it's also a synergistic thing where I feel like the way he plays sets up other players as well, both in the run and pass. Let alone how he builds up the whole team on a day-to-day basis too. It's a great deal for both sides, he's earned it, and we're excited to make it happen.
"It's hard to not see what he does, it's interesting that you guys are asking those questions. He's an absolute force that people have to account for. When you do that, that takes resources towards him, and he can win those matchups, and when you allocate resources one way, you can't allocate them another way, and now our other guys have opportunities. Not only is he making a ton of plays, he's setting his teammates up for making plays as well, and we play better defense with him for sure… Great teammate. Everyday, same guy. Positive outlook. We talked about 'Warriors in the Garden,' just who we want to be as people, and he's that. That's who he is."
Check out the top photos from the Seattle Seahawks 2026 training camp practices.
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21)
Seahawks safety Julian Love (20)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) and linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14), wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) and running back George Holani (36)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67)
Seahawks linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. (56)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72)
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18)
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
Seahawks cornerback Michael Dansby (37), cornerback Julian Neal (1), safety Bud Clark (9) and cornerback Andre Fuller (35)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks wide receiver Cody White (82)
Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) and linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
Seahawks Legend Richard Sherman with safety Bud Clark (9)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88)
Seahawks wide receiver Ricky White III (86)
Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) and punter Michael Dickson (4)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) and quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21)
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72)
Seahawks wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. (87)
Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed (90)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
Seahawks cornerback Michael Dansby (37)
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks tight end Nick Kallerup (89)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and running back George Holani (36)
Seahawks defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98)
Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39)
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) and defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson (27)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0)
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2)
Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) and linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0)
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58)
Seahawks linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0) and defensive tackle Rylie Mills (98)
Seahawks linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0) and linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. (56)
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) and linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15)
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4)
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5)
Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and linebacker Tyrice Knight (48)
Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39) and cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
Seahawks wide receiver Cody White (82)
Seahawks wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. (87)
Seahawks wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. (87)
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) and linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7)
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
Seahawks Legend Richard Sherman and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (17)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21)
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39)
Seahawks safety Julian Love (20)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
Seahawks guard Anthony Bradford (75)
Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76) and tackle Charles Cross (67)
Seahawks wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (84)
