While many players at his age begin to contemplate retirement, Trent Williams, the left tackle of the San Francisco 49ers, has made it clear that he has no such plans after the 2024 season. Williams, who will turn 37 this July, is optimistic about extending his career for at least four additional years.

“I would love to play until I’m 40,” Williams stated during the 49ers minicamp. “I would love to make it into that special group. But if it’s not in my cards, it’s not in my cards. I’m going to do everything physically possible to stay engaged.”

If he achieves this, Williams would become part of an exclusive group of offensive linemen who continued playing at age 40, including Hall of Famers like Jackie Slater and Bruce Matthews, as well as Andrew Whitworth, who retired shortly after leading the Rams to victory in Super Bowl LVI.

Having recently recovered from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the last seven games of the 2024 season, Williams is committed to his training this offseason, participating in OTAs for the first time in about a decade.

“I’m going to do everything possible to play as long as I can, and put a good product of football out there. When it’s not going my way, then I’ll know. But I could play until I’m 41. Who knows?” Williams added.

He aims to lace up his cleats until his tank is empty. Alongside him, running back Christian McCaffrey has also recovered from injuries that plagued him in the previous season, which could bolster the 49ers’ chances in 2025. Coach Kyle Shanahan remarked, “Christian is a psycho in a good way. He does everything imaginable every single day. This year he is healthy, so he’s back to being who he always was and it’s fun to watch.”

While holding an impressive record of 11 Pro Bowl selections, Williams hopes to one day add a Super Bowl title to his distinguished career, particularly after two near misses in previous appearances.