As 49ers fans celebrated a clinched playoff spot, it was a three-word chant from the crowd that prompted the biggest news of the night from star tackle Trent Williams. The 37-year-old was talking to Scott Van Pelt after the game, and the fans decided to interrupt the interview by chanting, “One more year!” And his response made every single fan jump in excitement.

“I’m nowhere near done,” Williams said.

He also added that he’s got a few more years under his belt, according to reporter Rob Lowder.

That checks out if you’ve watched him play. Williams came into this season noticeably refreshed after a frustrating, injury-filled 2024. For the first time in what he joked might be a decade, he even showed up for part of the voluntary offseason program. It was a small thing, maybe, but it showed.

The difference has been obvious. Williams has been on the field for 98.94 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps this season, logging 933 total plays. His overall grade sits at 90.2, third-best among 82 tackles. In the run game, he’s been even better, posting a 91.4 run-blocking grade, second-best among 82 tackles.

That matters. A lot. Especially for a team that’s spent much of the year patching things together. Williams has been one of the steady presences on an offense that’s found its rhythm again at the right time. And this isn’t the only time he’s made his intentions clear.

Trent Williams’ stance on retirement hasn’t changed

If you’re wondering whether this late-season surge is what suddenly changed his mind, it’s not. Trent Williams had already drawn that line months ago, coming off an injury-filled year and a 6–11 season that tested just about everyone in the building.

“I didn’t give it a lot of thought, honestly,” Williams said in June. “I do myself and my teammates a disservice if I’m looking toward the end. I’m paid. People count on me to be here now. We have goals and aspirations as a team. I just don’t think putting brain power toward that helps us get to where we want to go. When it happens, it happens. I feel like I’ll know.”

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That mindset hasn’t changed. Williams has said he’d like to play through his age-40 season in 2028, and maybe longer if his body lets him. The contract he signed last September runs through 2026, and after this season, there’s no guaranteed money left. It’s a deal that gives both sides flexibility, but in a way, it also puts pressure on future planning.

That’s where the rumors came from. There’s been plenty of talk that the 49ers could start preparing for life after Williams, potentially using the No. 25 overall pick on Utah tackle Caleb Lomu. You can’t really blame them. Williams is 37, Brock Purdy’s blind side matters, and teams don’t usually wait until things completely fall apart.

Still, the way Williams is playing makes those conversations harder to justify. And if he keeps playing at this level, the 49ers may have to rethink how quickly they move on. Sometimes the long-term plan changes when the present keeps holding up its end of the bargain.