September 9, 2023 • 14 mins
On this episode of Rams Iconic, D’Marco Farr is joined by Rams Legend Roland Williams as they discuss his 4 seasons with the Rams and winning a Super Bowl as the starting tight end for the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to RAMS Iconic, presented by eighteen hundred Tequila, the
best taste in tequila. Please drink responsibly. I'm DeMarco Farr
and this is the podcast where we get to catch
up with some of the greatest players in Rams franchise history.
My next guest played four seasons with the Rams. He
was the starting tight end for the Greatest Show on Turf. Yes,
they had tight ends and they used him too, and
(00:27):
he was my teammate, one of my favorites. Please welcome
rowand Williams. What's up man?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
What's up man?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Nothing?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I thank you for that introduction that was so ken.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Well, look, this is a good place to start. Can
tight ends be a part of the greatest show? People
really don't think so. You know, Like they asked me,
is the defense a part of the Greatest Show on Turf?
So I'll ask you, as a member the tight end
of the Greatest Show on Turf? Is everybody included or
just the offense?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, I'm gonna say that the tight ends are definitely included. Ok,
here's here's the reason why. First off, on fact, Kurt Warner,
Arconic quarterback. Do you know who caught his first touchdown
he ever threw in the NFL. It's Roland William that
Super Bowl season.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I'm assuming it's you caught that first touchdown, yes, which
showed the greatness of Kurt Warner because on that particular play,
I wasn't the first read, the second read, the third read,
probably the fourth three we're in the red zone.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
It was a corner route maybe at you know, twelve
thirteen yard line, But it was Kurt Warner being the
quarterback that he is, that he looks for all his receivers.
So I believe that all the receivers were a part
of the greatest Show on turf. I had seven touchdowns
that year, Earnie, all the other tight ends, you know,
Jeff Robinson, I mean, guys had touchdowns all over the place.
(01:46):
I think we contributed from maybe twelve thirteen touchdowns that season. Thus,
I think that we are certainly a part of the
greatest show.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
What was that like for you coming into ninety eight,
trying to carve your way, carve your your space on
this roster.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Yeah. I think one of the toughest parts for me
was getting used to dig for meal, the old dick
for meal. I'm so happy that from hearing after hearing
from you and Kevin all the guys that I had
one year with him, when we had the full week
of rookie training camp before y'all got there, the real yeah,
the McCole Illinois three hours.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Great practice we had. Do you remember that night practice?
Had you remember that one?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
The one where afterwards y'all had a fit like there
was like a real conversation had.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Oh my god, see I was gonna intro you, I said,
rhode Wayiams gang boss or gang lieutenant because it was
really offense versus defense man, And it was all because
of her meal and the way you know what we
used to go at it. Oh my god, that night practice.
I think Kevin ended some kid that day, that rookie
yard that just would not slow down in practice. You
(02:48):
were a part of that too. You wouldn't slow down.
You wouldn't slow down a bit in practice. Back back
in my younger days.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Maybe I was trying to prove something that I could
play in the National Foot League, but Dick Vermill had
a way of humbling us all because you had to
be in conditioning, the humidity, the practice, the pads every day.
Comb Illinois, Wow, Comb Illinois. How wow, wow in decks
of one hundred and five every day. So here's the
part where I got humble. Here's the part where I
(03:18):
was like, man, it was the only time in my
my football career that I thought about for a moment,
like can I really do this? They had two offensive
units that ran during this rookie camp.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Huh okay, so.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
So so the play requires a tight end to run
a steam route, you know, full speed. I'm not getting
the ball, mind you, but run full speed outside release run. Okay,
I run forty yards. You know, I'm running hard as
I can. And you think that they might sub someone
in for that second unit that's coming. Ready break, I mean,
as soon as you finished, right right right? No coach styles,
(03:52):
coach for me styles. I knew it, pushing, pushing this
rookie to see who I was. Run back, They're waiting
for me to run it again. Well, after doing that
for a few days, I started realizing they didn't count yards.
Then they didn't count.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Load load manage.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah yeah. And there was times where after after practice
I was like I had to just sit like in
the cold plunge, you know, just try to just come back.
And I was like, man, if this is how the
NFL is, can I keep it up?
Speaker 1 (04:21):
That's how we were with him, and it does. You know,
it's brutal, it is, and even I think even even
coach for Miil admits it like it was. It was brutal.
It was, but and he said it would bring out
a deeper level of conditioning. And he's right because exactly
the guys that made it through, especially the ones like
you had like the year before, we were there. From
(04:41):
the start with him, it was hard for like three years.
But once we got him to kind of trust us
a little bit, we were in better condition. We were
than more teams, and we had no fear of the opponent.
It wasn't who we played, it was how we played.
Didn't you feel the same.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Way I did. I felt like I had a deeper
level of great and I think for me as a
rookie at the end of the season, I was grateful
because I ended up starting. Ernie got hurt, like in
the third fourth week of the season. I ended up
starting that whole season as a rookie. You know, when
he gave out those Rookie of the Year awards, I
won the offensive one. It was something that I felt
as though all my extra reps, all the hard work
he put me through in training camp, they were preparing
(05:17):
me to become the incumbent. They were preparing me to
be a person that could come in and start and compete.
And so although our season wasn't good, we were four
and twelve, I felt as though for me, as a
first year rookie in the league, I got great experience.
I had, you know, a feeling that I was a
season veteran because of the reps that he put us through.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
When people say, and I was joking with you that
the tight end wasn't a big part of the greatest
show on turf, it was. But I mean you got Marshall,
you got is yes, yes, you got soon to be
Hall of Famer Tory Holt. I mean it's hard to
find footballs and possessions and routes, yes, and looks in
that era. I mean, everybody's open all the time, right
(05:56):
when you say.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I would say, and also being honest, is like they
were all better than me if I was in charge
of the offense, Isaac Bruce, Tory, Holt, Marshall, fulk Ricky
pro Oza, here, hakem or Roland, Williams like, I'm giving
the ball to them. And so that's what made us
(06:17):
such a great team because everybody knew their roles and
I was grateful and happy in my role. I would
love to block and move and shift and do things
that put made it difficult on the defense, and to
do things that made it so you didn't know where
Marshall was coming from. I love being a decoy along
with Robert Holcomb and all the other guys and Big
Bang and all the guys. We loved doing that two
routes so Marshall get open. I mean, that was a
(06:39):
part of making the offense go. And I think that's
what made us good because we didn't care who got
the glory. We all was a part of the family.
That's the thing I wrote down. There was no ego
on that football team.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Crazy. Do you ever think about like today's NFL I
watch it, I cover it so and then I watched
film of us, and I'm like, I don't know, some
of these dudes could play back then the way it was,
the way it used to be. And I'm sure the
guys that came in the seventies and eighties said the
same thing about us. But if you played today in
today's NFL, if you played in this offense with Sean McVay,
(07:11):
same rolling or different rolling? Are we talking slim down
rolling ball play?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, let's be let's be painfully honest. These athletes are amazing.
I had a chance to come and watch training camp.
I had a chance to watch Tyler, watch the guys.
I mean, these guys are amazing athletes.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Man.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
They're tall, they're fast, they're strong, they're more athletic, they're better.
They're just better athletes than we were. And so could
I have played in today's NFL. Absolutely not Not.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
You don't think so.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Not only because only because only because the run game
isn't something that's so prevalent that they need like that
physical running, blocking tight end only. I think mcvay's offense
is one that's so dynamic that yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Where do you think of Tyler Higbee Because right now
we're trying to figure out how to frame him. I
think he's got the most catches, most of your most
touchdowns of any ram yes tight end in history, but
we're stopping short of calling him the greatest. If you've
got the most of everything, doesn't that make you number
one does that doesn't that count?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I mean I think I think in today's NFL, when
they get into the numbers, sometimes people are less apprehensive
because they throw the ball more than they ever did,
et cetera, et cetera. But my personally end, but when
I watch him the maturation of tight ends, he's spectacular.
I love his hands. Yeah, he catches the ball. Well,
(08:31):
he's a champion. That's the cherry on top. He's a champion.
But without being a champion, he's great in the passing game.
He can run all the routes, he makes it great grabs,
he's blocking, and he's competitive. I watch him on things
like the reach block and the most importantly the backside
block and giving an effort to do those things. And
(08:52):
it's how you transition from the passing game to the
running game.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Okay, another you think it's possible. Do you think it's
possible to make a Pro Bowl at tight end on
this football team? For what they ask you to do?
You got to be not in today's now, That's what
I'm saying. You've got to be the perfect route runner,
You've got to be the best blocker, you've got to
be letter perfect on just about anything just to make
the offense functional.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, what a tough ass. Yes, and you're not going
to get those kind of numbers. I mean it's a
wide receiver based offense. I mean the Cooper cupany it's great,
but I'm just saying, at the end of the night,
it's is he phenomenal? Yes? He is.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
So I asked you we do this thing on every
RAMS iconic. Your favorite play? So where was it? Who
are we set the scene? Tell me about Roland Williams's
favorite play as a RAM.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I think I've had I've had a lot of plays
I've been grateful to be in. But I will go
back and say probably my favorite play was the first one,
the first play, the first real play that I made
play for the RAMS. So I'll set the stage. I'm
a rook Yep, this is crazy. I'm a rookie. And
as you remember, Dick for Meal didn't let all the
(10:02):
draft picks play out the gate. We had to sound
and sort of earn our spurs. So I had to
feel for a couple of weeks when it felt to
be inactive, didn't like it, had to work harder in practice,
get better. He gave me a shot new York Jets. Okay,
we're playing the Jets at the t w A Dome
at the time, Ernie Ernie.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Gets knocked out.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Remember remember like in the first quarter scene round he
was on the side. Yeah, yeah, okay. So so me
as a rookie, you know, we take a knee. Yeah,
I'm next to Oz and all the rookie guys, remember
Leonard and we're all rookies. We all take a knee,
and I'm like, man, I'm like, you know, we praying
for him and everything. Wilber Montgomery runs down the sideline
(10:45):
and it's like, because the team's getting ready to huddle up,
now he's up. He's leaving, and I'm forgetting. I'm the
backup tight end rookie. Hey you're in, so we'll work.
Comes down, he's staring and he's like, hey, I'm like.
I was like, man, dang you, I'm sorry for quick.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
He's like, get your came I was like, ohaf I
mean all the guys next year. I'm like, come on, rookies,
nobody nobody knew that. Nobody told me you in.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
So I go in.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
So I'm in. I'm I'm juice. Of course, I'm elated
to be in we're playing against I think the linebacker
the time. His name was Moe Lewis pro bowler right
so and Drew bloodsoe. So I'm like, what an opportunity.
I'm from New York. We're playing in New York Jets.
It's on back home. I'm like, there could be no better.
So I'm just on level twenty seven, right. So we
(11:34):
call our first play, you know, block come off the ball.
Being extra realize that he's a guy that lefts his
hands dangle, so he allows me to get your hands
in the chest. So perfect. That's that's the perfect person
me to go against. So I'm being me. Well, a
few plays in they call sort of our past play,
you know, quick scat Bison. You know this is because
(11:55):
this is this is you know this is Tony Banks, right,
this is this is this is Tony Banks. So we
run to play. It's a five yeard out for me.
I come turn around quick. He puts it on me.
Lace is it right on me? I catch it?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Boom?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I turned and said to gold Field, I went up field,
and I swear it felt like in like point zero
zero zero seconds, I got wow, man, I said, I
had a five yard grab I went up field, maybe
gained a few x yards, but it was my first
catch in the National Football League in a regular season game.
And when I got up, I was so elated. I
(12:28):
went back to the huddle like I was cool. And
it was a TV timeout or something afterwards, and I
was sitting there like and then and then Ricky and
isislingtipp at me, was like, hey, congratulations, Wow, I said,
I said thank you, And it was like, you don't
remember none of that, do you? I said, no, I
don't remember. Think I forgot it all that quick. I
was so happy. I was so happy. I was so
(12:50):
happy to make a play for the Rams in the
National Football League.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Wow, Ernie getting knocked cold? Remember that rough?
Speaker 2 (12:58):
It was rough?
Speaker 1 (12:58):
It was rough.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
What was the guy that hit him?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Who knows? Who knows? I was like, I was like, man,
the NFL.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Here holding yeah, big shot, Tony Banks, Tony Banks with
that rocket arm man. Yeah, Man, I'm happy he bounce
back too.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And I love every man who played in the National
Football League. It's a special for Turnity to be a
part of. And I'm as grateful man to have played.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Man.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
I loved the game so much. It took me from
the humble beginnings, and it took me my whole life.
It's still in my life. The rams are still in
my life to live out here in California and have
a chance to have my family, d Rams, my brothers,
I'm like.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Are sitting here in Los Angeles having a conversation.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
I said, come on, man, God is good man.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
When they said we were doing this, I was so excited.
I'm serious, man, I mean look, and they asked me,
do you get along with all your teammates? No, except
for guys on that team. You know what I mean.
It was guys that were special in their own way,
but we were all after one goal, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah. Yeah, it's so funny. It's like I haven't talked
to you and God knows how long, and I sit
down here. As soon as I come sit down, there
we go again.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Here we go, we go again. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
And Wistrom, Oh my god, did you hurt Westerm in practice?
You didn't hurt Grant Wistrom in practice? No? No, I
didn't brink him. No, No, that was it was all
all Roland Megawatt, smile, man, good to see you. Well,
that's a wrap on this episode of RAMS Iconic presented
by eighteen hundred Tequila, the best taste in tequila. Please
drink responsibly. I hope you enjoyed our conversation with Roland
Williams and we'll see you next time.
Welcome to RAMS Iconic, presented by eighteen hundred Tequila, the
best taste in tequila. Please drink responsibly. I'm DeMarco Farr
and this is the podcast where we get to catch
up with some of the greatest players in Rams franchise history.
My next guest played four seasons with the Rams. He
was the starting tight end for the Greatest Show on Turf. Yes,
they had tight ends and they used him too, and
(00:27):
he was my teammate, one of my favorites. Please welcome
rowand Williams. What's up man?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
What's up man?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Nothing?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
I thank you for that introduction that was so ken.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Well, look, this is a good place to start. Can
tight ends be a part of the greatest show? People
really don't think so. You know, Like they asked me,
is the defense a part of the Greatest Show on Turf?
So I'll ask you, as a member the tight end
of the Greatest Show on Turf? Is everybody included or
just the offense?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, I'm gonna say that the tight ends are definitely included. Ok,
here's here's the reason why. First off, on fact, Kurt Warner,
Arconic quarterback. Do you know who caught his first touchdown
he ever threw in the NFL. It's Roland William that
Super Bowl season.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I'm assuming it's you caught that first touchdown, yes, which
showed the greatness of Kurt Warner because on that particular play,
I wasn't the first read, the second read, the third read,
probably the fourth three we're in the red zone.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
It was a corner route maybe at you know, twelve
thirteen yard line, But it was Kurt Warner being the
quarterback that he is, that he looks for all his receivers.
So I believe that all the receivers were a part
of the greatest Show on turf. I had seven touchdowns
that year, Earnie, all the other tight ends, you know,
Jeff Robinson, I mean, guys had touchdowns all over the place.
(01:46):
I think we contributed from maybe twelve thirteen touchdowns that season. Thus,
I think that we are certainly a part of the
greatest show.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
What was that like for you coming into ninety eight,
trying to carve your way, carve your your space on
this roster.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Yeah. I think one of the toughest parts for me
was getting used to dig for meal, the old dick
for meal. I'm so happy that from hearing after hearing
from you and Kevin all the guys that I had
one year with him, when we had the full week
of rookie training camp before y'all got there, the real yeah,
the McCole Illinois three hours.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Great practice we had. Do you remember that night practice?
Had you remember that one?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
The one where afterwards y'all had a fit like there
was like a real conversation had.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Oh my god, see I was gonna intro you, I said,
rhode Wayiams gang boss or gang lieutenant because it was
really offense versus defense man, And it was all because
of her meal and the way you know what we
used to go at it. Oh my god, that night practice.
I think Kevin ended some kid that day, that rookie
yard that just would not slow down in practice. You
(02:48):
were a part of that too. You wouldn't slow down.
You wouldn't slow down a bit in practice. Back back
in my younger days.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Maybe I was trying to prove something that I could
play in the National Foot League, but Dick Vermill had
a way of humbling us all because you had to
be in conditioning, the humidity, the practice, the pads every day.
Comb Illinois, Wow, Comb Illinois. How wow, wow in decks
of one hundred and five every day. So here's the
part where I got humble. Here's the part where I
(03:18):
was like, man, it was the only time in my
my football career that I thought about for a moment,
like can I really do this? They had two offensive
units that ran during this rookie camp.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Huh okay, so.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
So so the play requires a tight end to run
a steam route, you know, full speed. I'm not getting
the ball, mind you, but run full speed outside release run. Okay,
I run forty yards. You know, I'm running hard as
I can. And you think that they might sub someone
in for that second unit that's coming. Ready break, I mean,
as soon as you finished, right right right? No coach styles,
(03:52):
coach for me styles. I knew it, pushing, pushing this
rookie to see who I was. Run back, They're waiting
for me to run it again. Well, after doing that
for a few days, I started realizing they didn't count yards.
Then they didn't count.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Load load manage.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah yeah. And there was times where after after practice
I was like I had to just sit like in
the cold plunge, you know, just try to just come back.
And I was like, man, if this is how the
NFL is, can I keep it up?
Speaker 1 (04:21):
That's how we were with him, and it does. You know,
it's brutal, it is, and even I think even even
coach for Miil admits it like it was. It was brutal.
It was, but and he said it would bring out
a deeper level of conditioning. And he's right because exactly
the guys that made it through, especially the ones like
you had like the year before, we were there. From
(04:41):
the start with him, it was hard for like three years.
But once we got him to kind of trust us
a little bit, we were in better condition. We were
than more teams, and we had no fear of the opponent.
It wasn't who we played, it was how we played.
Didn't you feel the same.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Way I did. I felt like I had a deeper
level of great and I think for me as a
rookie at the end of the season, I was grateful
because I ended up starting. Ernie got hurt, like in
the third fourth week of the season. I ended up
starting that whole season as a rookie. You know, when
he gave out those Rookie of the Year awards, I
won the offensive one. It was something that I felt
as though all my extra reps, all the hard work
he put me through in training camp, they were preparing
(05:17):
me to become the incumbent. They were preparing me to
be a person that could come in and start and compete.
And so although our season wasn't good, we were four
and twelve, I felt as though for me, as a
first year rookie in the league, I got great experience.
I had, you know, a feeling that I was a
season veteran because of the reps that he put us through.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
When people say, and I was joking with you that
the tight end wasn't a big part of the greatest
show on turf, it was. But I mean you got Marshall,
you got is yes, yes, you got soon to be
Hall of Famer Tory Holt. I mean it's hard to
find footballs and possessions and routes, yes, and looks in
that era. I mean, everybody's open all the time, right
(05:56):
when you say.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I would say, and also being honest, is like they
were all better than me if I was in charge
of the offense, Isaac Bruce, Tory, Holt, Marshall, fulk Ricky
pro Oza, here, hakem or Roland, Williams like, I'm giving
the ball to them. And so that's what made us
(06:17):
such a great team because everybody knew their roles and
I was grateful and happy in my role. I would
love to block and move and shift and do things
that put made it difficult on the defense, and to
do things that made it so you didn't know where
Marshall was coming from. I love being a decoy along
with Robert Holcomb and all the other guys and Big
Bang and all the guys. We loved doing that two
routes so Marshall get open. I mean, that was a
(06:39):
part of making the offense go. And I think that's
what made us good because we didn't care who got
the glory. We all was a part of the family.
That's the thing I wrote down. There was no ego
on that football team.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Crazy. Do you ever think about like today's NFL I
watch it, I cover it so and then I watched
film of us, and I'm like, I don't know, some
of these dudes could play back then the way it was,
the way it used to be. And I'm sure the
guys that came in the seventies and eighties said the
same thing about us. But if you played today in
today's NFL, if you played in this offense with Sean McVay,
(07:11):
same rolling or different rolling? Are we talking slim down
rolling ball play?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, let's be let's be painfully honest. These athletes are amazing.
I had a chance to come and watch training camp.
I had a chance to watch Tyler, watch the guys.
I mean, these guys are amazing athletes.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Man.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
They're tall, they're fast, they're strong, they're more athletic, they're better.
They're just better athletes than we were. And so could
I have played in today's NFL. Absolutely not Not.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
You don't think so.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Not only because only because only because the run game
isn't something that's so prevalent that they need like that
physical running, blocking tight end only. I think mcvay's offense
is one that's so dynamic that yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Where do you think of Tyler Higbee Because right now
we're trying to figure out how to frame him. I
think he's got the most catches, most of your most
touchdowns of any ram yes tight end in history, but
we're stopping short of calling him the greatest. If you've
got the most of everything, doesn't that make you number
one does that doesn't that count?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I mean I think I think in today's NFL, when
they get into the numbers, sometimes people are less apprehensive
because they throw the ball more than they ever did,
et cetera, et cetera. But my personally end, but when
I watch him the maturation of tight ends, he's spectacular.
I love his hands. Yeah, he catches the ball. Well,
(08:31):
he's a champion. That's the cherry on top. He's a champion.
But without being a champion, he's great in the passing game.
He can run all the routes, he makes it great grabs,
he's blocking, and he's competitive. I watch him on things
like the reach block and the most importantly the backside
block and giving an effort to do those things. And
(08:52):
it's how you transition from the passing game to the
running game.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Okay, another you think it's possible. Do you think it's
possible to make a Pro Bowl at tight end on
this football team? For what they ask you to do?
You got to be not in today's now, That's what
I'm saying. You've got to be the perfect route runner,
You've got to be the best blocker, you've got to
be letter perfect on just about anything just to make
the offense functional.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, what a tough ass. Yes, and you're not going
to get those kind of numbers. I mean it's a
wide receiver based offense. I mean the Cooper cupany it's great,
but I'm just saying, at the end of the night,
it's is he phenomenal? Yes? He is.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
So I asked you we do this thing on every
RAMS iconic. Your favorite play? So where was it? Who
are we set the scene? Tell me about Roland Williams's
favorite play as a RAM.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I think I've had I've had a lot of plays
I've been grateful to be in. But I will go
back and say probably my favorite play was the first one,
the first play, the first real play that I made
play for the RAMS. So I'll set the stage. I'm
a rook Yep, this is crazy. I'm a rookie. And
as you remember, Dick for Meal didn't let all the
(10:02):
draft picks play out the gate. We had to sound
and sort of earn our spurs. So I had to
feel for a couple of weeks when it felt to
be inactive, didn't like it, had to work harder in practice,
get better. He gave me a shot new York Jets. Okay,
we're playing the Jets at the t w A Dome
at the time, Ernie Ernie.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Gets knocked out.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Remember remember like in the first quarter scene round he
was on the side. Yeah, yeah, okay. So so me
as a rookie, you know, we take a knee. Yeah,
I'm next to Oz and all the rookie guys, remember
Leonard and we're all rookies. We all take a knee,
and I'm like, man, I'm like, you know, we praying
for him and everything. Wilber Montgomery runs down the sideline
(10:45):
and it's like, because the team's getting ready to huddle up,
now he's up. He's leaving, and I'm forgetting. I'm the
backup tight end rookie. Hey you're in, so we'll work.
Comes down, he's staring and he's like, hey, I'm like.
I was like, man, dang you, I'm sorry for quick.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
He's like, get your came I was like, ohaf I
mean all the guys next year. I'm like, come on, rookies,
nobody nobody knew that. Nobody told me you in.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
So I go in.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
So I'm in. I'm I'm juice. Of course, I'm elated
to be in we're playing against I think the linebacker
the time. His name was Moe Lewis pro bowler right
so and Drew bloodsoe. So I'm like, what an opportunity.
I'm from New York. We're playing in New York Jets.
It's on back home. I'm like, there could be no better.
So I'm just on level twenty seven, right. So we
(11:34):
call our first play, you know, block come off the ball.
Being extra realize that he's a guy that lefts his
hands dangle, so he allows me to get your hands
in the chest. So perfect. That's that's the perfect person
me to go against. So I'm being me. Well, a
few plays in they call sort of our past play,
you know, quick scat Bison. You know this is because
(11:55):
this is this is you know this is Tony Banks, right,
this is this is this is Tony Banks. So we
run to play. It's a five yeard out for me.
I come turn around quick. He puts it on me.
Lace is it right on me? I catch it?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Boom?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
I turned and said to gold Field, I went up field,
and I swear it felt like in like point zero
zero zero seconds, I got wow, man, I said, I
had a five yard grab I went up field, maybe
gained a few x yards, but it was my first
catch in the National Football League in a regular season game.
And when I got up, I was so elated. I
(12:28):
went back to the huddle like I was cool. And
it was a TV timeout or something afterwards, and I
was sitting there like and then and then Ricky and
isislingtipp at me, was like, hey, congratulations, Wow, I said,
I said thank you, And it was like, you don't
remember none of that, do you? I said, no, I
don't remember. Think I forgot it all that quick. I
was so happy. I was so happy. I was so
(12:50):
happy to make a play for the Rams in the
National Football League.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Wow, Ernie getting knocked cold? Remember that rough?
Speaker 2 (12:58):
It was rough?
Speaker 1 (12:58):
It was rough.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
What was the guy that hit him?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Who knows? Who knows? I was like, I was like, man,
the NFL.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Here holding yeah, big shot, Tony Banks, Tony Banks with
that rocket arm man. Yeah, Man, I'm happy he bounce
back too.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And I love every man who played in the National
Football League. It's a special for Turnity to be a
part of. And I'm as grateful man to have played.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Man.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
I loved the game so much. It took me from
the humble beginnings, and it took me my whole life.
It's still in my life. The rams are still in
my life to live out here in California and have
a chance to have my family, d Rams, my brothers,
I'm like.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Are sitting here in Los Angeles having a conversation.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
I said, come on, man, God is good man.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
When they said we were doing this, I was so excited.
I'm serious, man, I mean look, and they asked me,
do you get along with all your teammates? No, except
for guys on that team. You know what I mean.
It was guys that were special in their own way,
but we were all after one goal, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah. Yeah, it's so funny. It's like I haven't talked
to you and God knows how long, and I sit
down here. As soon as I come sit down, there
we go again.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Here we go, we go again. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
And Wistrom, Oh my god, did you hurt Westerm in practice?
You didn't hurt Grant Wistrom in practice? No? No, I
didn't brink him. No, No, that was it was all
all Roland Megawatt, smile, man, good to see you. Well,
that's a wrap on this episode of RAMS Iconic presented
by eighteen hundred Tequila, the best taste in tequila. Please
drink responsibly. I hope you enjoyed our conversation with Roland
Williams and we'll see you next time.
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