Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Kevin Williams, 34, was with the Vikings 11 years and was a five-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler. This year, after signing as a free agent, he played a role in getting the Seahawks to the Super Bowl against New England on Sunday. Still, the former Oklahoma State star has made it clear that when he retires, he would like to do so as a Viking.
This will be Williams' first Super Bowl, and he talked at Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday about what he learned from nearly making the big game with the Vikings following the 2009 season.
"The biggest thing is don't blink," he said. "In Minnesota, I felt we controlled that [NFC Championship Game against New Orleans] the whole way and then we get into overtime and lose it. It was just the polar opposite of last week [when the Seahawks rallied to defeat the Packers 28-22 in overtime after trailing 16-0]."
Williams said one of the big differences between the Seahawks and that Vikings squad is the ages of their best players.
"We were much older in Minnesota, and we knew it was a small window to come together and try to win," Williams said. "We were able to get where we were trying to go, but we just fell one game short. I think, with these guys here, it is a lot of three-year, four-year, five-year guys that are hungry to prove themselves and that are just coming into the prime of their careers. You can tell those guys are playing hard and hungry."
Williams played more sparingly this season with the Seahawks, recording 30 tackles and three sacks in 16 games, but he has had to play a lot more snaps at nose tackle after starter Brandon Mebane tore a hamstring in early November.
He was asked if this Seattle defensive line is the best he's played with, but Williams didn't shortchange his former Vikings teammates.
"I think this defense, top to bottom, you don't have a weak spot," he said. "I have been with some great guys though; Pat [Williams], Jared [Allen], Ray Edwards, Kenechi Udeze, and I could go on with names of guys I played with in Minnesota.