There’s one Buffalo Bills player I constantly get asked about, tweeted to about, and told about by fans, and he’s usually not even active on game day.
That's wide receiver Duke Williams.
Every week, fans call WGR or tweet to me (
@SalSports) asking why Williams isn’t one of the 46 players active on game day. They say he’s tall and can help in the red zone. They say he’s physical and can help in the run game. They wonder why the Bills choose to have other receivers active, but not Williams, who was the leading receiver in the Canadian Football League last year and caught the game-winning touchdown in the team’s 14-7 win over the Tennessee Titans in his first National Football League start.
The 6-foot-2, 216-pound Williams has played three games this season, totaling six catches for 58 yards and a touchdown. However, all three of those contests were back in October. Since then, Williams has been inactive for the Bills in the last seven games.
Wednesday, I sat down with the 26-year-old receiver to ask him how he’s handling his role every week, from working with the scout team offense to watching from the sidelines on Sunday, as well as his decision to leave the CFL to sign with the Bills as a free agent last offseason, and where he sees his NFL future.
The following is the complete Q and A:
Q: What is mindset, on a week to week basis, as far as how your career is developing, not being active, but being on the roster, and how you go through all of that every week?
Williams: I'm just thankful to still be allowed to play the game I grew up playing, So, I'm forever grateful. I just keep a positive attitude. It's not the easiest thing to do because I'm a competitor and I love the game. But at the end of day, we're wining, so, there's nothing to complain about. So I just try to keep a positive attitude, pray about it, and stay ready so I won't have to get ready. And when the time presents itself, no matter if it's the last game of the season or in the playoffs, just be ready, and just give the team a good look. Don't let my problems linger on into other people's problems. I'm not trying to bring any negative energy into the room because I'm not playing. So I always keep a positive attitude about things. It's not the easiest thing to do, but I know it's the right thing to do. So I just continue to grind, and whenever they need me, that's when I need to step up.
Q: How do the conversations work that you have with the coaches throughout the week? Your communication with them on what your role is throughout the week and how it ultimately plays out for you on Sunday?
Williams: Just stay ready. They always preach to me to just stay ready. And that's what it is. I prepare every day as if I'm playing on Sunday, and that's what it's about, just how I prepare and just staying ready. Anything can happen in this game of football. But at the end of the day, like I said, we're winning. It's hard to win in this league, so I'm not going to complain about us being 10-4. So that's what it's about. We're winning. Take it one game at a time, and we clinched a playoff spot, so all we can do is get better.
Q: You made a pretty big decision in your life to leave the CFL and come here. Considering you've only played in a couple of games so far, are you happy with the decision you made and that you're here now?
Williams: I'm definitely happy with the decision I made. This is my first year. I'm getting my feet wet. I've still got to learn more of the game. But, for sure, I learned in the couple of games I did play. So with that being said, I'm still in the learning process. I'm still young, but old, compared to other players in the room who've been in the league two, three, four years. Plus we've got Smoke [John Brown], Dre [Andre Roberts], you know Bees [Cole Beasley] has been in the league eight-plus years. So, you know, with those guys ahead of me, that's vets. So I have to respect that call. You've got Isaiah [McKenzie], he's been in league three, four years, and then you got Rob [Robert Foster] who's been in the league two years. So they are all have a hand up on me. But at the end of the day, I learn from those guys and that's good on my part. And I did make a good decision by coming here because they gave me an opportunity and I proved myself, and I worked my way up. So I'm just going to continue to do that this offseason, I'm just going to work my ass off, so when I do come back next season, I'll be put in a position to really show what I can do.
Q: You talked about getting guys prepared. I'm assuming scout team, when you're on throughout the week. What's your week like? What is your role throughout the week? And how do you embrace that to help those guys get prepared?
Williams: Oh man, just go every day like I'm playing. Don't look at it different. Don't look at it as if it's scout team. It's live reps. At the end of the day, it's football and I'm getting somebody better. If I'm not getting anybody better then I'm not doing my job. If I'm not getting myself better, then I'm not doing my job. So I just run my routes and I just try to win more than I lose. Like I said, it's kind of hard, but I love the game. So I do whatever it takes to help our team win and put us in a position to get where we're going.
Q: What do you think your best asset is when you are out on the field and what you can do for this team to help them, ultimately, when you're called upon?
Williams: I mean, my physicality, you know, my blocking and my contested catches. I'm open even when I'm not open, and I truly believe that. I'm not the fastest receiver, but I do get open, and I feel like you just put it where I can catch it or see it and I'm going to come down with it. I'm very confident in my hands and I'm very confident in catching the ball. And when it comes to getting hit, I'm not worried by getting hit because it's part of the game. I'd rather catch the ball and get hit than not catch it and get hit, but my asset is just compete. I bring that dog to the field and let them know I'm nothing to be played with.
Q: What's your relationship like with the guys in the room? The receivers helping each other, helping you? You're competitive. You're all competitive. You're fighting for jobs out there. But you also have to work together.
Williams: Man, it's all love in the room. Definitely one of the best rooms I've been in. Just ballin', and having fun, and laughing. Then come Sundays, just watching them just go out and dominate everything we prepared during a week. They go out and show it on Sunday. It's amazing, because not everybody sees the process. Not everybody sees us working Monday through Friday, Monday through Saturday. They only see Sundays. We have our ups and downs, but, that's life. Everybody has their ups and downs. But we get it. We get over that. We've got each other's back. Nobody in the room is downing in each other. We all compliment each other. And when somebody messes up, we make sure they get it fixed. That's what it's about. It's a brotherhood. We love one another, and that's what it's gonna be. We can't let nobody break that bond.
