Almost everything went right for the 49ers in Sunday’s 30-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Everything but a third-quarter pass from Jimmy Garoppolo that sailed over the outstretched hand of hulking 49ers offensive lineman Trent Williams.
With his team leading by 17 and knocking on the door of the end zone again, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a pass play for the 6-foot-5, 320-pound Williams. Alas, Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack and safety Andrew Wingard converged on the big fella and Garoppolo’s throw sailed through the back of the end zone.
"Man, it was such a blur," Williams said with a smile after the game. "But once I seen Jimmy throw it, I was like, 'Oh yeah, this is my time now. I gotta go up and get this.'"
Garoppolo said he was determined to give Williams a shot, no matter how bleak it looked.
“I told him I was throwing it to him whether he was triple- or quadruple-covered,” Garoppolo said. “I tried.”
Following the game, Shanahan said the popular 11-year veteran Williams has been lobbying for that play call for a while.
“He's been talking to me about that the day I met him," Shanahan said. "He’s never had [a catch] and he keeps telling me that. He’s probably as good as a tackle as you could ever have to run a route. But it’s tough. That’s my first time really doing it and it didn’t work.”
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As Shanahan noted, Williams had to sit out the next play due to eligibility rules and watch as George Kittle caught a touchdown instead. Williams may be on pace for Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated season by any player ever, but it looks like he needs to get better separation on his pass routes.
“He didn't get open like he promised me he would,” Shanahan said. "Gotta keep practicing that route.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea (347 pounds) is the heaviest player in NFL history to score a touchdown, but Williams hauling in a score would certainly have been a memorable big-man TD.
"It's definitely way harder than it looks," Williams said.
