Trent Williams sends clear message to 49ers doubters

The 2025 San Francisco 49ers enter the season shrouded in uncertainty. Following a massive roster overhaul after a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2024, analysts remain unsure whether the team can rebound or if fans will endure another year of frustration.

One player who isn't buying into the doubts is left tackle Trent Williams. A future Hall of Famer and one of the NFL's most dominant offensive linemen, Williams recently joined The TK Show podcast and made it clear that this team should not be underestimated.

It might just surprise a few skeptics in 2025.

"Last year, who had the Washington Commanders as an NFC Championship team? Nobody," Williams told Tim Kawakami. "Who had the Minnesota Vikings as a team to go [14-3]? Who had that? Nobody. So, I feel like we're in that same position. Everybody will look and say, 'Oh, you lost this All-Pro, you lost that All-Pro. You don't have this person. This guy's getting older,' this and that. But, in my opinion, we're in the same boat.

"We have all the talent, but everybody's gonna kind of bat an eye at us because we don't have [LB Dre] Greenlaw. [WR] Deebo [Samuel] isn't with us anymore. I am 37. It's a lot of stuff that people are going to drag at and say, 'Oh, I don't think this can be the same team.' But honestly, that's how you want it, right?"

After years of being the hunted, Williams embraces an underdog mentality for 2025, believing the 49ers are in a position to surprise opponents and silence critics.

"The fact that everybody's kind of sleeping on us, the fact that we finished last in our division, so it gives you a favorable schedule going forward, I think all of that plays into our hands," Williams added.

The 49ers may have lost a lot of depth and undergone significant changes, but Williams believes their championship potential remains intact. If he is correct, San Francisco could become one of the NFL's most surprising teams in 2025.

You can listen to Williams' entire interview below.