Trent Williams has walked through the tunnels of some of the most famed football stadiums in the country.
On Tuesday, he returned to his football roots as he walked the Lobo Stadium tunnel at his alma mater of Longview (Texas).
The former All-American at the University of Oklahoma and five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins was back home in Texas to have his high school No. 71 retired. The school held the ceremony for the 2006 Longview graduate in conjunction with the football team’s Green-White Game.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” Williams said, according to ET Varsity. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine getting my jersey retired, especially at a high school like this that’s rich in tradition in football.
“To know that I’ve done enough in my career, and I feel like I’ve got a lot left to do, to have my jersey retired, it’s a blessing.”
RELATED: Redskins’ Trent Williams donates $25,000 to high school alma mater for EKG screening
Aside from his status as one of the best linemen in all of football, Williams has gained a positive reputation in his hometown for his charity. In 2015, he donated $25,000 for EKG screening for Longview ISD athletes. He has also donated a new locker room, new shoes for elementary students and Christmas gifts for the needy.
In return, the football program retired just its second jersey, joining former NFL cornerback Bobby Taylor (#24 at Longview) as the only alums to receive the honor.
“He has never forgotten where he was born and raised from the very beginning,” Longview head coach John King, who first coached Williams as a position coach when Williams was a freshman, told ET Varsity. “From how he announces himself on Monday Night Football, to the money he’s given our football program, our athletic program, our high school, the at-risk kids throughout the district and in this community, he’s never forgotten home.
“He’s done a lot of things that haven’t gotten recognition. Just a tremendous person and that’s exactly why we’re honoring him.”
You can see a portion of Williams’ comments from the ceremony below.
