San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams sounds like he expects to play through his injured hamstring on Sunday in Philadelphia against the Eagles.
Williams is officially listed as questionable after missing last week’s game, but he told reporters in the 49ers’ locker room that he won’t know for sure until Sunday but feels good about where he is.
“We’re gonna see, I’ll be a game-time decision,” Williams said. “Definitely more confident than I felt a week ago.”
Williams said he thinks that once the game is going his hamstring won’t be an issue.
“It’ll probably be in the back of my mind for a little bit, but once you get the juices flowing, the adrenaline, I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Williams said.
The 37-year-old Williams is a 12-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro who has accomplished almost everything in the NFL except earning a Super Bowl ring. Having him ready to go will give the 49ers a much better chance of winning it all this year.
49ers Clips
The 49ers list seven players as questionable for Sunday’s wild-card game against the Eagles.
Left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring) and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle) are among those with the injury designation.
Williams returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday and remained limited on Friday. Pearsall did not practice all week.
Williams tweaked his hamstring early in the Week 17 game against the Bears, and Pearsall aggravated his PCL injury in the same game. Both missed the Week 18 game against the Seahawks for the NFC West title.
Wide receiver Jacob Cowing (hamstring), linebacker Luke Gifford (quad), cornerback Renardo Green (ankle), defensive end Keion White (groin/hamstring) and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle) also were limited. Green was a new addition to the injury report on Friday.
49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) returned to full participation on Friday and is good to go.
The Eagles should see the return of right tackle Lane Johnson (foot) on Sunday.
He went through three limited practices this week in his return, and the Eagles list him as questionable.
Johnson hasn’t played since Nov. 16, when he sprained his right foot in a game against the Lions. The Lisfranc injury kept him out the final seven regular-season games.
The Eagles also list outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) and offensive lineman Brett Toth (concussion) as questionable.
Toth returned to practice on Friday as a limited participant, and Ojulari was a full participant all week.
Every other player is good to go, including linebacker Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and tight end Dallas Goedert (knee).
The Falcons have completed an interview with Josh Williams for the organization’s president of football position, the team announced Friday.
Williams has spent the past 15 seasons with the 49ers, the previous two (2024-25) as director of scouting and football operations. He also spent two seasons (2022-23) as a national scout and five years (2017-21) as an area scout.
In 2016, Williams was the team’s National Football Scouting representative after originally joining the 49ers in 2011 as an assistant in the scouting department before being promoted to pro personnel scout (2013-15).
The Falcons also have interviewed Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis and Lions COO Mike Disner.
Matt Ryan is expected to land the job.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has a habit of always saying the right thing. Perhaps more accurately, he never says anything he doesn’t intend to say.
In his midweek press conference prior to the wild-card game against the 49ers, Hurts was asked whether his reduction in running the ball has kept him healthy in 2025. (He was down from 150 attempts and 630 yards to 105 and 430.) The answer didn’t mesh with the question.
“No, I think the season’s just kind of gone the way it has,” Hurts said. “The approach this year, and how the games have been called with this coordinator — with coach [Kevin Patullo] — it’s just kind of gone that way. And so, I’ve just kind of taken it in stride and tried to give my best with whatever position I’ve been put in.”
It’s a telling comment, especially in light of the fact that the Philadelphia offense has a bad habit of slipping into extended funks. And it could lead to yet another coordinator change, which would be the fourth in four years.
After 2022, Shane Steichen got the head-coaching job in Indianapolis. After 2023, Brian Johnson was fired. After 2024, Kellen Moore became the Saints’ head coach.
The remark also comes weeks after long-time Eagles reporter Derrick Gunn revealed that players and coaches are frustrated by the fact that Hurts plays “his game,” regardless the plays that are called, adding that “the quarterback understands he has them over a barrel” contractually.
Following a Week 17 win that included another second-half evaporation of the passing game, coach Nick Sirianni said he needs to be more involved with the offense between series. That task becomes more important now, given the not-so-subtle hints Hurts has dropped regarding “whatever position I’ve been put in” by the current offensive coordinator.
Left tackle Trent Williams was back on the practice field for the 49ers on Thursday.
Williams missed Week 18 with a hamstring injury and did not practice on Wednesday, but he was able to work on a limited basis on Thursday. His return would be a significant plus for the offense against the Eagles and Friday will bring more word on his outlook for the weekend.
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle), defensive lineman Keion White (groin, hamstring), and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle) remained out of practice. Linebacker Luke Gifford (quad) did not practice after a limited session on Wednesday.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (knee), defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), and tight end George Kittle (ankle) were limited. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown (rib), wide receiver Jacob Cowing (hamstring), defensive tackle Kalia Davis (knee), and running back Christian McCaffrey (rest) were full participants.
The Eagles had a few changes to Thursday’s injury report, but defensive tackle Jalen Carter and right tackle Lane Johnson remained at the same level of practice participation.
Carter, who has a hip injury, and Johnson, who has a foot injury, were limited participants for the second straight day. The Eagles will practice again on Friday before issuing injury designations for Sunday’s game against the 49ers.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean (hamstring) and safety Marcus Epps (concussion) moved up to full participation while tight end Grant Calcaterra (ankle) was limited after sitting out on Wednesday. Tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) was also a limited participant.
Left guard Landon Dickerson (rest) and offensive lineman Brett Toth (concussion) did not practice. Edge rushers Azeez Ojulari (hamstring) and Jaelan Phillips (ankle) were full participants.
We used to post our regular-season awards one at a time. This year, we’re trying something different. Mainly because there’s too much other stuff going on.
All awards will be unveiled in one fell swoop. In one comprehensive post.
These aren’t my awards. The Associated Press doesn’t want any of the 50 voters to reveal their winners before the NFL Honors ceremony next month. We don’t need to wait that long to reveal the our own look at the folks who deserve recognition based on their performances during the 272-game season that ended four days ago.
So here they are, based on the input of the various PFT writers.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The first-rounder finished with 1,017 receiving yards in 17 games for the NFC South champs. If Saints quarterback Tyler Shough had started more than nine games, he may have run away with it.
Also receiving consideration was Buccaneers first-round receiver Emeka Egbuka (938 receiving yards).
In the end, the 1,000-yard season and presence on a playoff team gave McMillan the nod.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
The first pick in round two emerged as the consensus top rookie on the defensive side of the ball, with 16 starts, 156 tackles, two interceptions, and 2.5 sacks.
Others considered were Seahawks defensive back Nick Emmanwori and Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr.
Comeback Player of the Year: 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
Limited to four games in 2024 due to an Achilles injury that delayed his debut and a knee injury that ended his season, McCaffrey returned to full form in 2025. He had 2,126 yards from scrimmage (his third 2,000-yard performance) and came within 76 receiving yards of his second 1,000/1,000 rushing/receiving season.
McCaffrey’s ability to play every game helped keep the 49ers going amid an array of injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, fueling a 12-5 season that ended with a playoff berth.
Also receiving consideration were Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who had a career-high 14.5 sacks after suffering a broken leg in 2024, and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who finished with 4,552 passing yards a year after missing nine games with a serious hamstring injury.
Offensive Player of the Year: Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.
During the 2025 season, now-former Falcons coach Raheem Morris repeatedly called Robinson the best player in the NFL. Robinson led the league with 2,298 yards from scrimmage, and he proved to be a threat to score on any given snap. He had the longest run of the season — a 93-yarder — and 6.3 yards per touch.
Others receiving consideration were McCaffrey, Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (league-high 1,793 receiving yards), and Rams receiver Puka Nacua (league-high 129 catches).
Defensive Player of the Year: Browns defensive end Myles Garrett.
This one was the easiest of all. Garrett broke the single-season sack record, with 23.0. He had a four-sack game against the Ravens, and a five-sack performance against the Patriots.
Given that the Browns rarely had a late lead, allowing Garrett to pin the proverbial ears back and chase a quarterback who was passing the ball over and over again, Garrett’s ability to generate so many sacks was even more impressive.
Others receiving consideration were Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (12.0 sacks and the captain of the NFL’s best defense), and Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (14.0 sacks).
Assistant Coach of the Year: Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
The former Broncos head coach (from 2017-18) was essentially the head coach of the Denver defense, which continues to be among the NFL’s best. With Joseph, the Broncos secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC. That could earn Joseph another shot at a head-coaching job.
Others receiving consideration were Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke, and Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.
Coach of the Year: Jaguars coach Liam Coen.
This one was the closest call, between the first-year coach who took the Jaguars to the AFC South title (after only one year as Tampa’s offensive coordinator, following one year in 2022 as the Rams’ offensive coordinator) and Mike Vrabel, who immediately returned the Patriots to prominence. New England had an easy schedule (they didn’t pick it), and Vrabel’s track record made the overall turnaround less surprising.
Few expected Coen to take a team that had been 4-13 in 2024 to a division crown. Along the way, Coen sparked an eight-game winning streak after a 1-3 lull to hold off the Texans (who could be the best team in the entire conference) for the division crown.
Others receiving consideration were Bears coach Ben Johnson, Broncos coach Sean Payton, and Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald.
Executive of the Year: Seahawks G.M. John Schneider.
The decision to trade quarterback Geno Smith and pivot to quarterback Sam Darnold was the boldest move the long-time Seattle G.M. made. But Schneider has otherwise put together a roster that is among the best in the league, helping to lay the foundation for a team that won the top seed in the NFC, despite stiff competition in the NFC West.
Others receiving consideration were Jaguars G.M. James Gladstone, Bears G.M. Ryan Poles, and Patriots executive V.P. of player personnel Eliot Wolf.
MVP: Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye or Stafford? Stafford or Maye?
Anyone can pick a stat and make the case for either Maye or Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford had the NFL’s most passing yards, with 4,707, and passing touchdowns, with 46. Maye had the highest average per attempt, with 8.93 (more than a full yard more than Stafford), and the highest passer rating in the league, at 113.5.
Here’s one that helped tip the scale toward Maye: He had an eight-game run with 200 or more passing yards and a passer rating of 100 or higher. Only three players in NFL history had ever done that before — Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning. Each won the MVP award when they accomplished that feat. Maye became the youngest to ever do it, at 23.
Stafford likely would have been our MVP, if the Rams hadn’t blown a 16-point lead with 13:34 to play against the Seahawks in Week 16. Five fourth-quarter drives by the Rams after that moment yielded zero points.
That same weekend, Maye engineered a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives against the Ravens, turning a 24-13 deficit into a 28-24 win. The first covered 73 yards. The second started at the New England 11.
In those two prime-time games, the Rams lost both the No. 1 seed and the NFC West crown — and the Patriots moved a massive step closer to ending Buffalo’s five-year hammerlock on the AFC East.
Would it have been an easier call if the Patriots had secured the No. 1 seed? Yes. Still, Maye’s statistical achievements coupled with a division title and the No. 2 seed in the AFC (versus the Rams at No. 5) were enough to earn Maye the MVP title in only his second NFL season.
49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s first head coaching stint didn’t go all that well, but his time with the Jets isn’t stopping teams with vacancies from asking for a chance to sit down with him.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Ravens have requested an interview with Saleh. The Cardinals, Falcons and Titans have also put in requests for interviews with him.
Saleh will not be able to speak to any teams until after the 49ers play the Eagles on Sunday. Saleh can have a virtual interview next week regardless of the result of the game and a second, in-person interview would be possible after the divisional round if the 49ers have been eliminated by that point.
The Ravens have scheduled interviews with Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Davis Webb for Thursday. They are also expected to speak with Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores at present.
Two more teams are interested in talking to 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh about their head coaching vacancy.
Albert Breer of SI.com reports that the Titans and Falcons have submitted requests for interviews with Saleh. The Cardinals did the same earlier this week.
Saleh will be able to interview virtually with any of those teams after the 49ers play the Eagles on Sunday.
Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020 and left to become the Jets’ head coach. He was 20-36 before being fired during the 2024 season and he returned to the 49ers after consulting for the Packers last year.
