The New England Patriots made the largest financial investment in any player in franchise history when they agreed to a four-year, $104 million contract with Milton Williams this offseason to make him the focal point of their defensive line.
With Mike Vrabel taking over in New England, the Patriots are going to pride themselves on the work they put in on the defensive side of the ball, which is why adding a talent like Williams in the trenches was such a priority for the front office.
Williams is aware of the expectations that will be placed on his shoulders after signing this contract. In his first true test of his leadership style, the former third-round pick made it known that he expects his actions on the field to set an example for his teammates. Unfortunately, Williams decided to do this by taking an unnecessary shot at his former team.
Milton Williams Puts Blame on Eagles Coaches For Not Playing More
Williams wants to be out on the field as much as he possibly can and threw some shade at his former coaches with the Philadelphia Eagles when addressing how his snap count with the Patriots will be much different than what fans saw in Philadelphia. Per Williams, it was the Eagles' coaching staff that held him back from making an even larger impact on the defensive front.
Milton Williams says his snap count with the Eagles was outside of his control
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) June 9, 2025
“I’m trying to play as much as I can … I could’ve played more if they wanted me to play more.” pic.twitter.com/ABHHIFe22W
There is no way to know how accurate a statement this is from Williams. We constantly hear that part of a coach's job is protecting players from themselves. Sometimes players need to be told no to reach the team's larger goals. If Williams was on a snap count during his tenure with the Eagles, the coaches in Philadelphia thought that was a necessary move.
When you consider that the Eagles won the Super Bowl while having Williams on this snap count, that he is only objecting to now, proves that it was the right move to make. If that wasn't good enough for Williams, he can enjoy those extra snaps for a franchise that will, likely, struggle to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the AFC East.