Denver Native (Carol)
05-29-2010, 08:39 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_15186334
Veteran Jamal Williams welcomes a chance to be the answer on the D-line for once-hated Broncos.
He is on the hunt for his first house in Colorado, but Jamal Williams has carried a souvenir from the Broncos for quite some time.
The long, angry-looking scar on his lower left leg is what remains from a low block from former Broncos offensive lineman Steve Herndon that resulted in a dislocated ankle and ended Williams' 2002 season. It's a little bit of his history that brought a smile about the future.
"I was going to put a happy face tattoo right there," Williams said this week. "I think it would have looked good."
Williams is settling in at his new football home, a place that includes a Broncos jersey, of all things. The 13th-year defensive tackle was one of the Broncos' offseason acquisitions as they try to repair a run defense that collapsed down the stretch last season. Denver surrendered at least 173 yards rushing in five of its final nine games.
Williams was a little concerned with how he would be received at his new team's Dove Valley complex after a dozen years with the AFC West rival San Diego Chargers. Then there was the matter of breaking the news to his mother, Harriet.
"The game I hurt my ankle, that was the first one she ever went to in the NFL," Williams said. "I mean, I was young, saved up some money so I could have everybody out for a game I was going to be starting. My mom came. I have six brothers, they came. Had cousins come, my nephews. I brought everybody out to see me play.
"They were kind of upset when I got hurt. When I signed here and I told her, she was like, 'Are you talking about that same team?'
"But then it was like 10 seconds and she said, 'Well, you get to play San Diego twice a year, baby, and when am I going to get my new jersey?' "
The Broncos hope Williams can coax some high-quality play out his 34-year-old body. At his best, the 348-pounder has tormented offensive linemen and battered running backs on the way to three Pro Bowls.
He anchored the middle of a Chargers defense that helped San Diego win the past four division titles and five in the past six years.
"And he used to give (former Broncos center) Tom Nalen hell up front," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. "So I know what he can do."
The Chargers released Williams, who missed virtually all of the 2009 season after tearing a triceps muscle in the season opener against Oakland. With his position coach for 11 of his 12 seasons in San Diego — Wayne Nunnely — having joined Josh McDaniels' staff last season, the Broncos were No. 1 on Williams' wish list.
Williams said the injury gave him time to heal a battered body. He has had a litany of surgeries, including arthroscopic surgeries on both knees in '07, yet he still played in 13 games that season.
"I'm not a quitter," Williams said. "My mentality is that's not the way I'm going to go out. I'm going to go out fighting. So, I look at it in a positive way. It gave me almost a whole season to heal up everything else. I'm fresh as I can be. I feel like I'm back in college.
"I just look at the guys who played the position before me, those are some tough sons of guns. Look, nobody's body is really meant to play football, and nobody's body is really meant to play nose tackle. That just ain't on the list. You've got to take on 600, 700 pounds worth of guys on every play. But I love it, I love being a real weekend warrior, and now I'm going to do it for the Denver Broncos."
Veteran Jamal Williams welcomes a chance to be the answer on the D-line for once-hated Broncos.
He is on the hunt for his first house in Colorado, but Jamal Williams has carried a souvenir from the Broncos for quite some time.
The long, angry-looking scar on his lower left leg is what remains from a low block from former Broncos offensive lineman Steve Herndon that resulted in a dislocated ankle and ended Williams' 2002 season. It's a little bit of his history that brought a smile about the future.
"I was going to put a happy face tattoo right there," Williams said this week. "I think it would have looked good."
Williams is settling in at his new football home, a place that includes a Broncos jersey, of all things. The 13th-year defensive tackle was one of the Broncos' offseason acquisitions as they try to repair a run defense that collapsed down the stretch last season. Denver surrendered at least 173 yards rushing in five of its final nine games.
Williams was a little concerned with how he would be received at his new team's Dove Valley complex after a dozen years with the AFC West rival San Diego Chargers. Then there was the matter of breaking the news to his mother, Harriet.
"The game I hurt my ankle, that was the first one she ever went to in the NFL," Williams said. "I mean, I was young, saved up some money so I could have everybody out for a game I was going to be starting. My mom came. I have six brothers, they came. Had cousins come, my nephews. I brought everybody out to see me play.
"They were kind of upset when I got hurt. When I signed here and I told her, she was like, 'Are you talking about that same team?'
"But then it was like 10 seconds and she said, 'Well, you get to play San Diego twice a year, baby, and when am I going to get my new jersey?' "
The Broncos hope Williams can coax some high-quality play out his 34-year-old body. At his best, the 348-pounder has tormented offensive linemen and battered running backs on the way to three Pro Bowls.
He anchored the middle of a Chargers defense that helped San Diego win the past four division titles and five in the past six years.
"And he used to give (former Broncos center) Tom Nalen hell up front," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. "So I know what he can do."
The Chargers released Williams, who missed virtually all of the 2009 season after tearing a triceps muscle in the season opener against Oakland. With his position coach for 11 of his 12 seasons in San Diego — Wayne Nunnely — having joined Josh McDaniels' staff last season, the Broncos were No. 1 on Williams' wish list.
Williams said the injury gave him time to heal a battered body. He has had a litany of surgeries, including arthroscopic surgeries on both knees in '07, yet he still played in 13 games that season.
"I'm not a quitter," Williams said. "My mentality is that's not the way I'm going to go out. I'm going to go out fighting. So, I look at it in a positive way. It gave me almost a whole season to heal up everything else. I'm fresh as I can be. I feel like I'm back in college.
"I just look at the guys who played the position before me, those are some tough sons of guns. Look, nobody's body is really meant to play football, and nobody's body is really meant to play nose tackle. That just ain't on the list. You've got to take on 600, 700 pounds worth of guys on every play. But I love it, I love being a real weekend warrior, and now I'm going to do it for the Denver Broncos."