During my first six years with Touchdown Alabama Magazine, I never took a chance to leave the press box and enter the field to absorb the emotions and final minutes of a game. Most of the time, cameras would spot me shuffling paperwork and trying to avoid an accident as I took the elevator in order to make Nick Saban’s presser.
Last season, I made a decision to be more involved and it was the right one. Upon the end of the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, my eyes were drawn to a figure dancing in confetti. As I inched closer to someone who’s making me relive all the popular dance moves from the late 1990s to now, the No. 56 jersey is seen with more clarity and a smile appears.
Alabama linebacker Tim Williams celebrates 2016 SEC Championship: Photo via Stephen Smith of Touchdown Alabama Magazine
Before getting selected to the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Draft, Alabama linebacker Tim Williams has always been his own person. Whether it was random dancing (as I saw him) or happy about encouraging teammates, he was never afraid to follow the beat of his own drum.
“I feel great man. I won this championship with my boys right here. These my dogs right here. We got Jamey Mosley and we got the boy C. Miller. Miller is up and coming too man. He up and coming.”- Williams on the night of Alabama’s SEC championship win over Florida.
He said these words to my friend and WVUA-FM 90.7 production manager, Cameron Tew after a 54-16 victory over the Gators. Despite it being an exciting feature to capture, Williams’ reaction on day one of the NFL Draft was much different from his December’s exuberance. Robby Green, former Alabama defensive back and New Orleans (La.) native, was the Baton Rouge product’s right hand man throughout the draft process.
“Tim was going to be taken between the first and third round,” Green said. “He had a draft party set up in Louisiana that I attended and we were praying for a first-round call. When his name was not called, he immediately left the room. I sent him a text message to let him known this road block doesn’t define him, but I knew it hurt him not being able to go in the first round.”
Mistakes he made prior to becoming a marquee name returned to haunt him; nevertheless, Green would quickly notice a trait that is going to make Williams a superstar at the next level.
Tim Williams working with youth at a football camp: Photo via Robby Green
“This dude is relentless and he cares about people,” Green said. “He thanked everyone for coming to the party that night. From family to friends and even myself, he let us all know that he’s going to continue to grind no matter what happens. You have to admire a man like that.”
What makes the relationship between Green and Williams compelling is both players have a past that they’ll admit to, but also desire to improve and take steps forward. In the midst of a frustrating and emotionally draining situation, Williams’ breakthrough came from neither family member nor friend. It was divine intervention that brought the passionate Louisiana man to tears.
“I’m telling you God works,” Green said.
“I remember as we were going into day two of the draft, I texted Tim the verse of the day from my Bible app. It was the one from St. John 1:5, which goes ‘And the light shines into the darkness, but the darkness couldn’t put it out.’ I kept telling him that we’ve been in the dark before, but light will shine. Darkness won’t always win and when the light shines, you will be able to effect people in a positive way. You will be able to tell your story of how you achieved.”
Ten minutes after getting some Biblical confirmation, bottles of champagne starting popping.
Williams, Green and Williams’ family cried tears of joy as Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome called Williams in the third round. At pick No. 78, Newsome, head coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens selected Williams – teaming him with Terrell Suggs and former Crimson Tide standouts C.J. Mosley and Marlon Humphrey. Regardless of his talents as an athlete, Green said it’s Williams’ responsibilities as a father that’s pushed him to want this career.
“I can’t say enough about his heart,” he said.
“Tim loves his two girls. He was one of those guys that didn’t know how to make football into a career at first, but having children has made him see how important life is. He’s now treating football as a way out for him and his family. It’s more than just a game he loves.”
Tim Williams at the University of Alabama with Robby Green and his son: Photo via Robby Green
Williams and Green would work out every day, following the Tide’s lost to Clemson in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. Despite the process being overwhelming, Green said the talented edge rusher and national champion (2015) handled everything well.
“He never buckled,” Green said.
“And Tim did double the work. He trained with Michael Johnson in Dallas on speed, weights and nutrition, while I coached him up on footwork, balance and technique. I spoke with him every day about being focused on the task at hand. A lot of people can’t do double the work and remain focused. He did it.”
When he tested at the NFL Combine back in March, the general consensus was that Williams would blow scouts and analysts away with blazing speed. He was clocked at 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which is pretty good but it didn’t get the reviews Williams wanted from the media.
“A lot of analyst have never played football,” Green said. “They can only go off opinions and their opinions can be wrong at times. So much goes on at the combine to the point where it’s mentally draining. Players are asked to do so much before they begin testing, so when they are finally being tested, their performance is sluggish and they hear it throughout the draft process.”
By no means necessary was Green trying to bash media pundits with this statement; however, he wanted to shed some light on what’s really important when it comes to the combine.
“Not everyone will give you crazy combine numbers,” he said.
“You’ll have a few studs here and there, but not everyone is a good tester. Look at Jerry Rice. He’s a Hall of Fame wide receiver, not a tester. This is not the ACT where you have multiple chances to score high. Players only get one opportunity to go hard at the NFL Scouting Combine.”
Williams drew criticism left and right during his combine performance, but the primary issue weighing over his head was a drug situation he encountered in his early years at Alabama.
Tim Williams encouraging more youth at a football camp: Photo via Robby Green
Rather than to stir up drama and cause a rapid fire on social media, Williams was open and honest about his past to every team he met with. According to Green, it was the happiest moment for him. He said for any team to not give Williams a chance after showing honesty in ‘unreasonable.’
“We’ve all been young. We’ve all made mistakes,” Green said.
“The same bible verse I gave him, I think about it every day. I got kicked out of Alabama after winning a national championship and had to go play at a Division II school. I then had to watch guys I knew I was better than get drafted over me. And even when I took part in NFL tryouts, I saw guys that I knew I was better than get signed over me. But, God has a purpose for it all.”
Green is more so a life coach than trainer. It’s the vibe that I received from him during previous conversations, and what he’s instilling in Williams is having an unbreakable mindset.
“You have to be relentless both mentally and physically,” Green said. “I try to push all my players to the limit, especially in the mind. When you get tired, your mind is the first thing to go. With Tim, he’s bought in to having that relentless mind. In order to beat him, you’re going to have to kill him.”
After not playing much to start his career in Tuscaloosa, Williams collected 19.5 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in his final two seasons. He became a household name through all the turmoil, and per Green, Williams could give the Ravens something that he wasn’t able to give Alabama.
“Once Baltimore allows Tim to come out of his shell, his true leadership will show sooner rather than later,” Green said. “He will bring a different element to the game. Tim didn’t get a chance to be a leader at Alabama. Although he was one of the better players on the team, he was never labeled a leader for the Tide. This dude cares about the people around him, and he will be a tone setter for the Ravens. Baltimore is getting someone who is going to give his all at full speed.”
He’s proven to battle-tested and mentally strong, and at Alabama, Williams gained a championship mindset. Behind players like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs, the Ravens captured Super Bowl titles in 2000 and 2012. With Lewis retired and Suggs aging, Williams represents a new wave of dominance in the AFC North where sack specialists are concerned.
Green played alongside Marcell Dareus, Eryk Anders, Rolando McClain and Lorenzo Washington in Alabama’s 2009 BCS national championship season; nonetheless, he believes the Tide has never had a pass rusher like Williams.
“During my time in Tuscaloosa, we never had an edge rusher that possessed the combination of speed, strength and the focus to get to the quarterback like Tim Williams did,” Green said. “The Ravens are getting somebody who is going to finish every play with attitude. Football is what Tim loves. This is his everything and if it’s not his everything, then he returns to the streets of Baton Rouge and lives with his mom.”
He has the passion of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, but the mindset of Ed Reed. All of this together makes Williams a perfect fit in Baltimore and Green couldn’t be any more excited.
“Tim is already talking about ways to get to the Pro Bowl and win Super Bowl championships,” Green said. “He could be one of the best ever to play for the Ravens because when he hits, he’s coming full speed to give you hell. When he gets comfortable in Baltimore, watch out.”
Robby Green is the CEO and founder of Dynamic Performance Training. You can follow him and his brand on Instagram via dptraining1 for more information.
Stephen M. Smith is a managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
