Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jonah Williams recorded the first sack of his NFL career this past Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
The 28-year-old played 29 games before this moment, but rarely received the amount of snaps to increase the likelihood of taking down an opposing quarterback.
Williams' sack came in the first quarter on a third-and-short and went 13 yards backward. He explained what the big play meant to him during Monday's press conference.
"It was phenomenal and awesome," Williams said. "(Defensive lineman Aaron Donald) was supposed to be in there and make the play, but (linebacker) Ernest (Jones) made a really good move in the A-gap, so he opened it up for me. It's probably the coolest feeling in the world, at least for a D-lineman."
At first, Williams wasn't sure if he'd be able to record the sack, as Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs was potentially looking to scramble. However, when he realized that Dobbs didn't "drop a knee" and Jones opened a lane, he knew what would happen next.
"This is not going to be anything but a sack," Williams thought to himself. "This is going to be my sack, and I just kept holding on until I heard that whistle."
The Rams have almost a completely different roster this season compared to the last couple of years, as they're one of the youngest and inexperienced squads in the league. Despite not seeing time on the field, the 2020 undrafted free agent has remained with the team since his first year in 2021—when the Rams won the Super Bowl—and has been the starter every week this season.
Williams was obviously very patient standing on the sideline the past couple of years and revealed that "it's been a crazy journey" leading up to the sack, as he's had to play all over the defensive line.
"Just bringing something new to camp every year really helped me get a position this year," Williams said. "I think it allows you to play better too, once you have an actual role that you can take ownership of and begin to master."
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