Raiders Continue to Improve Their Special Teams Unit

Williams brings 10 years of NFL coaching experience to the Silver and Black, including the past five seasons as the special teams coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons (2021-25). He also has had stints as a special teams coach with the Los Angeles Chargers (2016-17) and Detroit Lions (2019-20).

Last season, Williams worked with P Bradley Pinion, who recorded 64 punts for 2,889 yards (45.1 avg., 40.6 net), three touchbacks and 34 punts inside the 20. Pinion set the franchise record for punts inside the 20 in a single season (34), most in the NFL, and finished tied for fourth in the NFL with 12 punts placed inside the 10-yard line.

In 2024, Williams mentored special teamer KhaDarel Hodge, who was elected to the Pro Bowl in 2024. Hodge recovered a muffed punt for a touchdown in Week 4 and earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 15 as he recorded two blocked punts. He also helped K Younghoe Koo connect on 25-of-34 field goal attempts in addition to making a perfect 26-for-26 extra points for a total of 101 points.

In 2023, Williams helped Koo connect on 32-of-37 field goal attempts (86.5 percent) in addition to making 27-of-28 extra points for a total of 123 points scored, en route to earning two NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors (Weeks 7 and 16). In 2022, Atlanta was one of two teams to have special teams units score multiple touchdowns during the season. The Falcons also blocked multiple punts for the first time in a season since at least 2000.  

Atlanta’s returners excelled under Williams, as Cordarrelle Patterson’s recorded a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the ninth of his career, setting an NFL record for the most career kickoff return touchdowns in NFL history. Koo closed the season making 12-of-12 field goal attempts, including three from 50-plus, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December and January.

In his first season with Atlanta in 2021, Williams helped Koo connect on 27-of-29 field goal attempts and all 30 of his PATs while leading the league with three game-winning field goals. P Thomas Morstead punted 22 times for 1,015 yards (46.1 avg.), including 11 inside the 20-yard line, earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 12 and NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December.

In the return game, Avery Williams returned 23 kickoffs for 490 yards (21.3 avg.), 20 punt returns for 153 yards (7.7 avg.) and totaled six special teams tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

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