Gregg and Blake Williams

(Mary Kay Cabot/cleveland.com)

MOBILE, Ala. -- Gregg Williams loves having his son Blake on his staff again, but says he'll enjoy it while he can.

"I can't tell you how happy I am,'' he said. "He's the best young coach I've ever had on my staff on any level. I've got 131 guys coaching in the NFL, NCAA and high school football. He's the best I've ever had, but I can't tell him that 'cause he's my son.''

Williams said Blake, the linebackers coach, will be snatched up soon.



"We won't keep him very long,'' said Williams. "He's going to be a head coach or a coordinator in a hurry when we do what we need to do at Cleveland 'cause people are going to recognize that. They're going to recognize it's not just me. There's a lot of really good people on that staff and there's good players, too."

Hue Jackson noticed the special bond between father and son right away.

"They have a feel for each other, but it's a different kind of relationship, I can tell you that,'' Jackson said. "It's definitely dad and son, but the son is his own person. He's carving out his own niche in the National Football League. I think he's going to be an outstanding coach. Very bright, very demanding on the players, he knows how to get guys to play and I've been very impressed with him.''

Blake Williams, who worked at the NFL league office in 2016, brings seven years of NFL coaching experience, including four under his dad. From 2009-11, he was an offensive line assistant with the Saints. In 2012, he coached linebackers and served as defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams during Gregg's year-long suspension for BountyGate. After that season, he was fired by Jeff Fisher.

In 2015, he served as the defensive coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana University after working as a defensive coaching consultant at William Jewell College for two seasons.

Blake Williams got his start as a coaching intern with Washington from 2006-07 and then served as linebackers coach and a strength and conditioning coach for Jacksonville in 2008. A Princeton graduate, he played defensive back for the Tigers.