San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams still feels the sting of falling short on the NFL's biggest stage.

When the Kansas City Chiefs scored the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII, Williams said he struggled to process that it was over. For years, he dreamed of simply reaching the Super Bowl—something that never materialized during his time in Washington.


"I used to always think like, I just want to be there," Williams said on The Pivot Podcast. "I just want to be a part of the weekend, no matter if I win or lose. And I used to always say that s--t, and as soon as I lost, I was like, 'Man, that's my fault. I've been manifesting that s--t my whole career.'

"And I got there and lost, and that s--t was the worst pain ever. And I just learned a lesson at that point."

The pain of coming up short


While Williams can now reflect on the moment with some perspective, he revealed that months of anguish followed the overtime loss to Kansas City. In fact, the All-Pro tackle said, now, he would rather miss the Super Bowl entirely than experience that level of heartbreak again.

Asked what he felt walking off the field in Las Vegas, Williams described the moment as "surreal."

"I didn't even realize it was over," he said. "I seen the touchdown, and I'm thinking, damn it, it couldn't have ended just like that. And then, I ain't gonna lie, I see [Chiefs coach] Andy Reid running on the field. I said, 'Oh s--t, it's over with.'"


The emotion boiled over immediately, prompting Williams to launch his helmet high into the air, creating a new dilemma.

"So I probably threw it like 50 feet in the air," he said. "And then it dawned on me like, oh s--t, that could kill somebody. So, I'm literally like trying to f--king catch my helmet. And then I went in, and I'm like, yeah, this s--t was the worst pain ever."

Stepping away to heal


Williams said he coped with the loss by stepping away from social media and public appearances, giving himself space to process the defeat—and heal emotionally.

"I tell people all the time I'd rather not go than to go and lose because the pain of losing, that s--t lasts for months," Williams said. "That s--t lasts for months. I was under a rock for three, four months, like, literally. I didn't even want to be seen in public. I didn't want to see no Instagram posts. I didn't want to see no Twitter."

The veteran lineman remains motivated to return to the Super Bowl with the 49ers, though he understands time is not on his side. Williams will turn 38 before the 2026 NFL season, and his contract situation with San Francisco remains unresolved.


Still, the goal hasn't changed. After coming so close in Super Bowl LVIII, Williams and the 49ers are determined to finish the job.



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