Nobody is stopping Trent Williams from playing. Except, maybe, himself.
The 49ers' All-Pro left tackle admitted to reporters on Tuesday following mandatory minicamp at Levi's Stadium that he should not have played through an ankle injury in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I really had no business out there," Williams told reporters. "It's so hard for me not to be out there, knowing the position we were in and what we were trying to accomplish. But looking back on it, I probably shouldn't have pushed it that far. I think [Colton McKivitz] would have did a better job on two healthy ankles than I could have did on one." (h/t 49ers Webzone)
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"And hindsight is 20/20, of course. But it was hard for me to tell my teammates no at the time, but looking back on it, I think I probably pushed it a little too far."
After sustaining an ankle injury in the win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in the divisional round game, Williams ended up being a game-time decision the following week in the NFC title game against the Rams.
Following the game, Williams even admitted that his ankle was in "bad shape."
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There only are a handful of offensive linemen who can match up well against Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald and Williams certainly is one of them.
In hindsight, though, the 49ers might have been better off with a healthier option.
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