Pro Bowl defensive lineman Brandon Williams retires as a Raven

Defensive tackle Brandon Williams might have won his lone Super Bowl ring as a Kansas City Chief, but now that it’s time to retire, he’s ending his career as a Baltimore Raven.

Williams returned to the team’s facility in Owings Mills for his retirement and said it was the first time he’d been back since his last season with the team in 2021.

“This is where I started,” Williams said when asked why he decided to retire as a Raven. “In the Bible, Elijah was fed by the ravens. Then he was told to go off somewhere else. He had something better for him. And I just wanted to come back and bring it full circle. ... I just wanted to come back here and just be in Baltimore for the rest of my life.”

A third-round pick in 2013, Williams joined the Ravens a year after their last Super Bowl. He became a full-time starter in his second year, and over the next nine seasons with the Ravens, he played along the line as a nose tackle and defensive end. In 2018, he earned Pro Bowl honors.

In November 2022, Williams became a Chief. He played in the team’s last five regular season games and saw limited snaps in the postseason. He got a ring when Kansas City beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 win in Super Bowl LVII.

Williams was known as a very athletic player, even with a 6-foot-1, 336-pound frame. Ravens coach John Harbaugh reminisced about what it was like to see Williams perform feats that he had previously only seen on film.

“And then he got here, and he started doing backflips!” Harbaugh said. “Up and down the field! As a 300-plus pound, dominating defensive lineman.”

Williams translated it to the field with 325 career tackles, 21 quarterback hits, seven sacks and 11 passes defended. One of his proudest moments actually came against a current member of the team. He said it’s cool seeing running back Derrick Henry carrying the ball in a Ravens jersey, but he’s always taken pride in the time he took Henry down in the backfield.

Williams is also remembered for his locker room leadership and his good-natured, fun-loving ways, Harbaugh said. He told a story about the time he had the team play a song from “The Greatest Showman” at practice and Williams “belted out” every word.

“He might have been the greatest showman we ever had in Baltimore,” Harbaugh said.

Williams said he doesn’t want to be remembered for his showmanship but for his authenticity.

In the year between his final season as a Chief and now, Williams said he’s been taking time to just be a dad. He has been “giving back time” to his family, going to games and practices and equestrian therapy for his son who has special needs.

Now that his career has officially come to an end, Williams said that while he would have loved a championship in Baltimore, he has no regrets.

“It’s been a truly amazing career,” Williams said.