The Two Words From D.J. Williams That Tell You Everything About the NFL's Quarterback Future

Alright, Seattle fam, we gotta talk about something that just dropped in the league and it's got real ripple effects, even if it's not directly about our boys in blue and green. There's a new QB coach in Washington, D.J. Williams, and he's not just some random hire, folks. This dude just threw down a truth bomb about quarterback play that should make every fan in the Emerald City, and across the entire NFL, sit up and listen. He's talking fundamentals, baby, and his take on playing under center is straight fire. You wanna know what's really happening in the trenches? D.J. Williams gave us two words that sum it all up.

A Legacy, A Laugh, and The Return of Real Football

So, who is D.J. Williams? If the name sounds familiar, it should. We're talking about the son of the legendary Doug Williams, a College Football Hall of Famer and the first Black quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl, snagging Super Bowl XXII MVP honors for Washington, no less. Talk about pressure, right? Doug, after a 12-year NFL career, went into coaching and even spent time in front offices, including a long stint with Washington since 2014. He's currently a senior advisor to GM Adam Peters. Now, D.J. followed in his father's footsteps, playing quarterback at Grambling State under his dad's coaching. An injury sidelined his playing career, but it opened the door to coaching. He started with the New Orleans Saints in 2017, earning a promotion to offensive assistant in 2019. Then it was off to the Atlanta Falcons as assistant quarterbacks coach in 2024, rising to quarterbacks coach in 2025. This offseason, he made a move back to Washington, taking the QB coach gig, and word is, it surprised his own father! Talk about making your own path.

Why Everyone's Obsessed With "Under Center" and Why D.J. Just Laughs

Now, the big buzz in Washington this offseason has been about their new offensive coordinator, David Blough, who is shifting the offense to require quarterbacks to play way more under center. You know how it is, everyone loves the shotgun these days. Former OC Kliff Kingsbury rarely had his QBs, Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, under center. But Blough is changing that up. And D.J. Williams' take on this "big adjustment"? He just laughed it off. Seriously, he told reporters at OTAs last week, "That's football." He's not wrong! Williams pointed out that 15 or 20 years ago, this wouldn't even be a discussion. He thinks it's only a conversation because the league got away from it, with everyone wanting to be "cool" and play in the shotgun. But as he puts it, "At the end of the day, it's still football, and you have to take a snap from under center." He even added, "I just laugh because we've gotten so far away from the fundamentals of football. When you first start playing quarterback, that's the first thing you do: take a snap from under center." He's not worried about Daniels learning it either, since he played under center at Arizona State before LSU, and the Commanders believe his football smarts mean he'll only get better in a more traditional NFL offense. So, what's at stake this season? It's a return to basics for Washington, and perhaps a wake-up call for the rest of the league. When a coach with this kind of pedigree says the obvious, you listen. Get ready for some fundamental football, folks, because D.J. Williams is making it clear: real quarterback play starts with those two words: "That's football."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.