Every time Garrett Williams steps onto the football field, his comeback story continues to write itself.
When he sits in the locker room, as the clock is ticking down before the Cardinals run out to play, he goes back to the first words that he could think of during the most difficult time of his career.
"I keep a journal and I really started it once I got injured and I just write down my thoughts and what I wished for, what I prayed for, and what I would hope would come to fruition," the Cardinals cornerback said. "Before a game, I go back to the first page I wrote when I started in July just to think of all the things I said I wanted to accomplish and give myself a reminder how far I came."
After he finishes the journal, clock still ticking, he opens a book he discovered at Syracuse titled "Mind Gym" authored by Gary Mack. It was another tool that helped him during his ACL recovery process and allows him to lock in.
"I like doing it just because it's an easy way to get you ready for a game but not get you too hyped up to where you're out of control," Williams said.
He said it's humbling to see how far he's come in this process, but the rookie wouldn't say that he's surprised. He's not only spoken it into existence, but he's written it as well.
Despite being sidelined for the entirety of training camp and majority of the season, all while rehabbing for countless hours with senior reconditioning coordinator Buddy Morris, Williams has managed to see the field a ton in 2023.
In just seven games, Williams -- used in a nickel role -- has played 304 snaps, and over 50 percent of snaps in six of those games. The only game he didn't reach the mark was in his debut, a Week 7 game that saw Williams intercept Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith inside the 5-yard line.
"He's doing a really good job," defensive backs coach Patrick Toney said. "Garrett's a mature dude, very professional, and he prepares as hard as anybody. I've been really impressed by him, especially having to wait so long to actually be able to take a rep in the system and how quickly he's caught on."
Coach Jonathan Gannon and the defensive staff see the nickel job as a starting position, and in many ways links him with veteran safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.
"It's a good trio back there," Gannon said. "We have three really high quality players and the more they play with each other, the better they'll get."
Williams has also started games alongside Kei'Trel Clark and Divaad Wilson, two fellow rookie cornerbacks. Toney believes that having a young group out there has been exciting "because you get to start from square one with them and develop good habits and really grow them in your system."
The Cardinals have started 10 rookies this season, most in the NFL.
The Cardinals are off for the bye week, but Williams doesn't really need the rest. His initial and unexpected time away due to his injury makes Williams even more eager to get back onto the field.
"It's really cool to look back on certain moments and be like, 'Ok, you came a long way and you still have a long ways to go,'" Williams said. "When the season is over and I finish the season strong like I plan to, it'll be cool to look back on it, even next year, and even when I'm old, to see this this is where I'm at. I want to keep doing that really just the rest of life."
