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“Even when we won the Grey Cup (in 2016), I had the locker-room celebration, then after I made sure my folks got back to the hotel OK, I went back to my room and I was going over in my head, ‘What did I do wrong? What can I improve on?’

“I’ve always gone about my business in silence. That’s the way I was raised. I don’t want to hate on anybody else, but nowadays, everybody’s so me, me, me or I, I, I. The world takes all kinds of people to go around; that’s just what I am. I wouldn’t change it because I wouldn’t have done what I did.”

A kid who dreamed of playing college football did that and so much more. He was selected 18th overall by the Redblacks in the 2013 CFL draft. In 2014, Williams, who grew up inKanata(he went to St. James Catholic Elementary and Holy Trinity High School), played 14 games for his hometown team. A back injury limited him to just one game in 2015.

But, healthy again, he came back strong in 2016 in what turned out to be championship season. He played all 18 regular-season games, getting five sacks while starting at both defensive tackle and defensive end. His versatility was a huge asset to the team.

In 2017, injuries dogged him and he played in just one game. But earlier this summer, he got a clean bill of health from the doctor. Williams, though, decided it was time to move on, going out on his own terms.

“I got through training camp last year and got hurt the first game of the season.” he said. “Any time you’re injured, you’re on the outside looking in. You see where you could have helped. Your teammates — no matter what you look like, where you come from, what you believe in — on that field, you’re brothers. You’re fighting for the same thing. Any time I was out of it, that itch was real bad.”