Former All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams made his return to the team in Week 8 following a stint on injured reserve. He played alright in that game, showing flashes in the run game, but he was picked apart in coverage. He allowed 6 catches on 8 targets for 73 yards and a touchdown. The fanbase didn’t really make much of it, as this was a game to get the rust off. The Jets also won that game, so the vibes were overall pretty high. The coaches, however, seemingly thought about Williams’ play much more.
The Benching
The Jets had their bye week the following week, and it was a busy one. This is when they traded former All-Pros Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams to the Colts and Cowboys respectively. Many thought that Quincy Williams would also be dealt at the deadline. He’s an impending free agent in 2026. The Jets could have potentially gotten a nice return for a talented player before he hit the open market. That didn’t end up happening though, so fans thought it seemed it would just be business as usual. That wasn’t the case though. During an interview with the media in the locker room, Quincy Williams revealed that he had been benched due to his play. This came as a massive surprise at the time, as Quincy is a beloved figure in the locker room and by the fanbase.
Jets LB Quincy Williams has lost his starting job, per @RichCimini
“My coaches told me I was underperforming, that I’ve been underperforming since training camp.” pic.twitter.com/Ny9uxX4hXc
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) November 5, 2025
A Major Response
Quincy Williams clearly took this benching to heart, because in Week 10 he played perhaps his best game of the season. Williams had a PFF grade of 70.8, which was the fourth highest on the defense. He registered 5 tackles, a sack, 5 defensive stops, and only allowed 5 yards on 3 receptions in coverage. His play played a big role in the Jets picking up their second win of the season. Week 11 was a bad week for really the entire defense, but Williams did make some plays. PFF had Williams registering 7 defensive stops and 8 tackles. The most important statistic throughout these last two games is his snap share. In Week 10, he played 52/73 defensive snaps (71%), and in Week 11, he played 63/66 defensive snaps (95%). These snap counts ranked 2nd among Jets’ linebackers, only behind Jamien Sherwood. This shows that Williams has clearly played his way back into a starting role immediately after being benched, which only makes the whole thing more puzzling.
Steve Wilks Weighs in on Williams’ Recent Play
On Thursday, the Jets’ coordinators spoke to the media. When asked about Quincy Williams’ play, Steve Wilks praised the star linebacker and drove home how much trust the defensive coaching staff has in him:
Steve Wilks talks about Quincy Williams’ performance the past couple of weeks:
“It’s just really a testament to who he is as a person. We know what kind of player we have in him. He has responded well, making plays for us. I’m trying to do a much better job of continuing to put… pic.twitter.com/5AyEp0UgGa
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) November 20, 2025
This should serve as a now-documented ending to the nonsensical Quincy Williams’ benching saga. The Jets linebacker figures, as Steve Wilks implied, to be a big part of the game plan against the lethal rushing attack of the Ravens. The Ravens rank fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game with 142 yards per game. This ranks slightly above the Jets who sit at fifth with 141.6 yards per game. If Williams can keep up his great play by making some big plays on Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, then the Jets might be able to compete in this game.
Main Image: Julian Leshay Guadal – Imagn Images
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