The New York Jets have traded wide receiver Mike Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers, receiving a fifth-round draft pick in return. Williams had a challenging season with the Jets, struggling to develop a rhythm with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which led to his becoming expendable after the team’s acquisition of Davante Adams from Las Vegas last month.
Williams joined the Jets in the offseason on a one-year, $10 million contract but recorded just 12 catches for 166 yards over nine games. He now heads to the AFC North-leading Steelers, who have been searching for another receiving threat alongside George Pickens.
Rodgers reacted to the trade on The Pat McAfee Show, praising Williams as a “good guy” who should fit in well with Pittsburgh’s roster. Rodgers added that “a change of scenery is great for certain guys,” noting that Adams’ arrival reduced the available targets for other receivers.
With the Steelers, Williams brings size and experience as a big red-zone target for quarterback Russell Wilson, joining a group that includes Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth. Although Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III have increased their roles since Wilson’s return from injury, neither has the same physical presence or resume as Williams.
Rodgers also expressed his support for Williams, saying, “If this gives Mike more opportunities, that’s awesome.”
Williams, who is 6-foot-4, played his first seven NFL seasons with the Chargers, catching 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. His 2023 season was cut short by an ACL tear, which sidelined him for the rest of the year.
During the Jets’ offseason and training camp, the team gradually worked Williams back in, though he struggled to fully connect with Rodgers on the field. Rodgers described Williams as a quiet player focused on his recovery, and he praised his efforts to regain speed and comfort early in the season.
In a 23-20 loss to Buffalo on October 21, Rodgers targeted Williams late in the game, only for the pass to be intercepted, sealing the loss. Rodgers later indicated that Williams had run the wrong route, though Williams wasn’t bothered by the feedback, and the two discussed it afterward.
Trade rumors around Williams began shortly after the Buffalo game. Six days later, he recorded a 15-yard catch in a loss to Pittsburgh—the team he’ll now join. The Steelers had been looking for another outside receiver to complement Pickens after trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina earlier in the year, missing out on targets like Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams, and DeAndre Hopkins.
