When the Los Angeles Rams face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday, one of the league’s all-time greats will be lining up on the other sideline — a player who, five years ago, could easily have been wearing horns instead of red and gold.
The One That Got Away From The Rams
In 2020, future Hall of Famer Trent Williams was looking for a new home. The then–Washington tackle had sat out the 2019 season amid a contract dispute and wanted a fresh start. Both Sean McVay’s Rams and Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers — each of whom had coached Williams in Washington — were interested.
But Los Angeles made one misstep that changed the course of their rivalry.
“[The Rams] asked me to play left guard because they had Andrew Whitworth,” Williams told The Athletic. “It was his [next-to-last] year and it would have been a tough conversation to have [with him]. … So I’m like, ‘I’m not playing left guard. Not right now.’”
The Rams’ request came from respect — Whitworth was a franchise icon nearing the end of a stellar career — but for Williams, a generational left tackle still in his prime, the idea of switching positions didn’t sit right.
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Too Little, Too Late
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Williams instead focused on joining Shanahan in San Francisco. By the time the Rams circled back, offering him his natural position, the decision was made.
“[The Rams] came back and was like, ‘No, we’re going to let you play left tackle,’” Williams recalled. “Whitworth contacted me himself and said he’d love to play with me. But at that point, it was kind of a little too far — I’d already taken my mind off of them and I was doing whatever I could to get to San Francisco.”
Washington eventually dealt Williams to the 49ers for a 2020 fifth-rounder and a 2021 third-round pick — a steal in hindsight.
Rams vs 49ers: A Rivalry Redefined
Since arriving in San Francisco, Williams has made four Pro Bowls, earned three First-Team All-Pro honors, and helped lead the Niners to three NFC Championship appearances. He’s been a cornerstone in Kyle Shanahan’s offense — the same system McVay runs in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the Rams stuck with Whitworth through their Super Bowl LVI triumph before turning the job over to Alaric Jackson, who’s quietly become one of the league’s more reliable left tackles.
Still, it’s hard not to imagine what might’ve been if Williams had taken that call from McVay — and what this rivalry would look like today if the Rams had landed one of the best linemen of his generation.
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