New York Giants DL Leonard Williams Reveals Reasons Behind His Productive 2020 Season

New York Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams went back to the basics of what football was all about, and in doing so, he says he was able to put together one of his best seasons.

Williams, who on Thursday officially signed his new three-year, $63 million contract with the Giants, said that it was a combination of having fun and playing under a coaching staff that pushes guys no matter who they are which helped bring out the best in him.

“There was something about this year that I was having fun. You know, it felt like I was back in college--back in those high school times when you're not thinking about what media is saying, you're not thinking about money, you're not thinking about anything like that,” Williams said on a video conference call with reporters after signing his new contract.

“You're just thinking about the reason why we play this game is the love for the game. I'm not saying that's ever left me, but you know, this year it was just a lot of fun playing in this system, playing with my teammates and playing with the staff. And when I'm out there having fun, I just play my best.”

Williams, who has repeatedly sung the praises of head coach Joe Judge, defensive line coach Sean Spencer, and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, added that the staff’s approach to pushing players to the max is also why the team was unable to unlock his potential fully.

“I do well under a coach that pushes you and tries to get their best out of you,” he said. “And that's definitely what this coaching staff does.

“(The coaching staff) doesn’t care if you're a rookie just now coming in or you're a guy that's been in the league for a long time. They're going to try to get the best out of you. And you know, I think I thrive well under an environment that, that pushes you.”

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With his immediate future secure, Williams was asked what he might do for an encore to his 11.5-sack season. He declined to offer a stat line, saying that his overall goal was to keep improving as a player and as a person.

As for any pressure to continue playing at a high level, Williams said he intends to block out that noise and stay locked in to what he has to do on and off the field.

“I think if I allow the pressure to sink in or allow outside noise to start sinking in, it's going to take away that fun that I was just talking about that allowed me to play so well,” he said.

“I don't want to think about what type of pressure or what other people are thinking. I just want to be the best of my team, be a good leader and give his team as much as I can.”

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