Ever since defensive end Mario Williams was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, he has been getting after opposing quarterbacks. The 31-year-old has 96.0 sacks in 145 career games, but heading into his 11th season, Williams now finds himself in need of a career reboot of sorts.
The pass rusher finds himself on his third team after being released by the Buffalo Bills after a disappointing five-sack season that saw his effort level questioned at every turn. To his credit, he seems to be aware that his two-year deal with the Miami Dolphins will be about much more than simple numbers.
"The No. 1 thing that you can definitely look forward to (from me) is attitude," Williams said. "I think any year, no matter what happens previous, you can't look at the future or anything like that, but you can handle right now. And my biggest thing, every day I wake up is going to be the best attitude I've ever had. And with attitude, everything is going to follow. I know for sure I'm going to be out there humming 100 miles per hour and it's going to be full attitude."
Williams is getting what so many NFL players wish they had received in their careers: another chance. His excitement is palpable, and he says he's not the only one who is anxious to get going in the 2016 season.
"Everybody is fired up, man," Williams said. "Anytime you see anybody walking around - it doesn't matter, from the front office to equipment guys, it doesn't matter - everybody has the same type of enthusiasm and that's definitely what I had in mind when I first came for the visit and it's what I got."
Another reason Williams is excited about the upcoming season is the opportunity to play alongside defensive end Cameron Wake and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Though that duo largely underperformed beside Olivier Vernon last season, they still remain one of the more fearsome defensive line cores in the league. Williams looks forward to the team's aggressive use of all three players.
"The mentality is so important in football," he said. "With the mindset and the understanding of what the coaches are going to do, what they plan on doing and what you know they're going to allow you to do, it's rejuvenating. I look forward to it and fortunately I have a bunch of guys around me that are great players. The sky is going to be the limit.
"I'm extremely excited (about playing with Wake and Suh). That's the reason why I came. Being able to see what they bring to the table and being able to add to that puzzle, the sky is going to be the limit. And I'm definitely ready. I'm anxious. Just want to get after it and work and just put my best foot forward."
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
