Giovanni Williams is on the verge of turning his football dreams into NFL history. The standout linebacker from Miles College, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Alabama, earned a tryout with the New York Jets during rookie minicamp. But this isnāt just any opportunity. If he makes the team, Giovanni would join his older brothers, Quinnen and Quincy Williams, on the Jetsā active roster, making them the first trio of brothers to play on the same NFL team in the modern era.
Thatās not a stat you hear every day. The last time three brothers suited up for the same NFL team was nearly a century ago, when the league still had teams like the Duluth Eskimos, Columbus Panhandles, and Dayton Triangles. The Rooneys, Nessers, and Kinderdines may have done it back then, but none of their franchises exist today. If Giovanni sticks, this would be a first for the modern NFLāand it would be an HBCU football player who made it happen.
From Miles to MetLife
Giovanniās path to the league didnāt follow the standard Power Five hype train. After high school, he took a quieter route to Texas A&M UniversityāKingsville. He appeared in nine games in the 2021 season, amassing 33 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and three sacks.
Williams then transferred to Division II HBCU football power Miles College, where he played under head coach Sam Shade, the formerĀ NFL safety who suited up for Washington and Cincinnati in the early 2000s. Under Shadeās leadership, Williams was developed into a key cog for the Golden Bearsā defense. In 2024, Williams played in 11 games, recording 29 tackles (11 assists), five for a loss, and one sack. Helping Miles to its best season in school history: a 10-win campaign, a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) title, and theĀ schoolās first-ever NCAA Division II playoff win.
It was a massive statement year for the program and its coach, with Shade taking home SIAC Coach of the Year honors. More importantly, it put Giovanni on NFL radars.
The NFL Runs in the Family
The Williams NFL bloodline is no secret. Quinnen Williams, the youngest ever finalist for the Outland Trophy at Alabama, was drafted No. 3 overall by the New York Jets in 2019. Heās since become one of the leagueās most dominant interior linemen, racking up 32.5 career sacks and earning First-Team All-Pro honors in 2022.
Quincy Williams, a third-round pick by Jacksonville in the same 2019 draft, found his stride after joining the Jets in 2021. Known for his speed and punishing hits, Quincy broke out with a First-Team All-Pro campaign in 2023. Together, the brothers are cornerstones of New Yorkās stingy defenseāand adding Giovanni to that mix would be more than a feel-good story. It could be a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Make My Own Name
Still, Giovanni isnāt riding any coattails, but heās not too proud to ask for advice from his NFL All-Pro brothers. āQuinnen told me, āBe yourself,ā āĀ Ā he told SNY. āWhatever happens, happens. God already got it for youā¦ Quincy told me he knows the position we play. We play the same position. He told me, āControl your mind, control your body. Just have control of yourself, and you can have control of your game.ā
āJust because living behind them, making my own name, I had to still live behind them, but itās sweet because me and my brother play the same position. I can call on him for help and we got the same competition level, so itās gonna be like competition, just like always, just like weāre back home, a big competition.ā
He also joked with the New York media that he used to weigh 350 pounds in high school and still played linebacker before eventually dropping to his current playing weight of around 220 pounds. In typical sibling fashion, Quinnen and Quincy used to pick on him for being big, but they were always impressed with his speed.
āHonestly, Iām in the middle. So I got Quincyās speed, but I got Quinnenās build. So itās like Iām in the middle of both of them, everybody compares me as the hybrid of both,ā Williams said. āI have my own dreams, my own story,ā Williams said. āI just didnāt want to follow behind Quincy and Quinnen, I want to make my own name.ā
A Moment in the Making
If Giovanni Williams makes the New York Jets final roster, it wonāt just be a personal triumph or even a family oneāit would be a milestone for the NFL and a shining moment for HBCU football. From Miles College to MetLife Stadium, this story is bigger than football. Itās about legacy, determination, and rewriting historyāone snap at a time.