Before the season, Jets LB Quincy Williams made being voted a Pro Bowler a goal, secondary to stacking up wins. Thirteen games in, the AFC Defensive Player of the Month of October has made a convincing case to make to earn his first career Pro Bowl nod and begun campaigning for votes.
"I can't talk to you all if y'all haven't voted," Williams told reporters jokingly Wednesday. "I have got to be honest. It is very important to me. This is your time to vote, have you voted already?"
The players selected are determined by votes from the fans, players and coaches. Each group's votes count as one-third toward the decision.
Wednesday, the NFL released the early returns for fan vote, and Williams was the fourth highest vote getter among insider linebackers. Last season, the league took six at that position (3 from each conference) putting Williams on pace to reach his goal.
"I feel like I should be higher, but I can only control what I can control and that's the way I play the game," Williams said. "So that is more what I am focused on."
And Williams has been laser focused. After signing a 3-year contract extension over the offseason, his play has been a key reason the Jets defense ranks No. 8 in points allowed (19.7 per game) and No. 5 in total yards allowed (299 per game).
In 15 games last season, Williams had 106 tackles, 3 sacks, 12 TFL, 6 QB hits and 1 PD. In just 13 games this season, he has 110 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 QB hits, 7 PD and team-leading 13 tackles for loss – tied for No. 9 most in the league.
Williams has made a compelling argument to join his brother, All-Pro DL Quinnen Williams, among the league's elite. In 2023, Quinnen, CB Sauce Gardner, LB C.J. Mosley and ST Justin Hardee were the only Jets named to the league's annual all-star event.
"That's going to be legendary," Quincy Williams said about the prospect of him and his brother reaching the Pro Bowl this season. "That is something we talk about the same way that we talked about playing on, we didn't say playing on the same team together, but playing in the league together. So, that is one of the goals that we have, so getting a chance to check that off my list would be great."
The Pro Bowl Games in February will take place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL, after being played in Las Vegas last season. The Jets will head south for a rematch with the AFC East leading Dolphins on Sunday.
Miami defeated the Jets in Week 12, 34-13, and the Green & White's defense surrendered 27 points. Going south, Quincy Williams hopes to even the season the series with Miami and make plans for a return trip to Florida in February.
"The perimeter run," Quincy Williams said was the biggest thing he took away from the first matchup with Miami. "The number one thing is that we are going to Miami this time and so weather is a factor. We just got to make sure we are hydrated. A lot of soft tissues issues happen with not being hydrated in the sun and stuff like that, so the number one is making sure our body is together and then the next thing is stopping their perimeter run and getting a win."
