Cardinals CB Shares Heartfelt Message After Season-Ending Injury

The Arizona Cardinals lost their top cornerback this past week. Here's what he said.

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams (21) is introduced before their game against the Carolina Panthers at State Farm Stadium on Sept 14, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals are down cornerback Garrett Williams for the remainder of 2025 and likely the first part of 2026, as Williams reportedly suffered an Achilles tear in Week 16.

Williams was placed on injured reserve earlier this week alongside first-round pick Walter Nolen III, which you can read more about here.

Williams, who was carted off the field of State Farm Stadium, posted the following message on his Instagram page:

"When I look back it'll all be worth it," said Williams.

Williams previously spent time this season on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Drafted as a third-round pick out of Syracuse with a torn ACL, the Cardinals considerably got a steal considering how talented Williams is.

He entered this season as the top-rated slot cornerback by Pro Football Focus.

"I'm just ready to do whatever they ask me to do," Williams said ahead of the season. "That's one of the good things to say about myself is knowing I can do a lot of different things. Having that versatility to play corner, nickel and safety always leaves the door open for me to go wherever they need me."

Williams' versatility is a massive part of Arizona's defense and how the Cardinals can function with Will Johnson as boundary corner and a safety tandem featuring Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has always talked up Williams in front of microphones, and for good reason. Williams was set for a sizable payday this offseason, though the injuries could play a factor in that now.

"I don't like to name names and stuff like that, but this guy's playing really, really good football right now. Like really good football, and it might fly under the radar a little bit (with) what we ask him to do, how he executes the scheme and what we ask him to do," Gannon previously said of Williams.

"He's won a bunch of one-on-ones. He's taking the ball away. He covers really well, tackles really well, blitzes. He does it all for us and we load him up mentally now because he can handle it. He has some position flexibility too, which you guys haven't seen that come to fruition, but he a lot of times is the next guy in in different spots, so he has to prepare for that too. He's been going like this since he's buckled up his chin strap and I don't think he's hit his ceiling yet either, by no means.”