If money changes Quinnen Williams, he wants it only to be for the better.
In his first comments since he signed a four-year, $96 million extension with the Jets, Williams said he is “super-aware” of the perception that some athletes lose their motivation to work hard after securing a big contract.
The Jets have a long buyer-beware history of paying players who subsequently underperform.
“One of my coaches always told me, ‘Money makes a person who he already is,’” Williams said Wednesday as players reported to training camp. “So if you are a bad person, you are going to be a rich bad person, and if you are a good person, you are going to be a rich good person.
“I feel like I’m a good person and a good athlete, and do all I can do on the field and off the field.
“My main thing is not the money, but leaving a legacy.”
In maybe a case of selective memory (he removed mention of the Jets from his Twitter bio in May), Williams described negotiations with general manager Joe Douglas as “smooth.”
He even joked that his soon-to-come splurge purchase can’t make the trip to New Jersey because there are “too many potholes.”
“One thing that stood out that he said to me is, ‘I’m hungry. I want to go back to the Pro Bowl or be an All-Pro. I don’t want to get paid and fall off. I want to be the greatest at what I’m doing,’” cornerback D.J. Reed said. “That’s a guy you want to pay.”
Williams’ $66 million guaranteed is the most ever for a defensive tackle, and the $24 million average annual value of his contract is second to that of the Rams’ Aaron Donald.
By waiting until last week to agree to terms, he topped three other defensive tackles — the Commanders’ Daron Payne, the Titans’ Dexter Lawrence and the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence — who signed four-year extensions worth at least $22.5 million per year with $59 million guaranteed earlier this offseason.
“It wasn’t important at all,” Williams said of his place in the position’s financial hierarchy. “We just wanted what I deserve when it came down to the facts, the production and different things. Thank the Jets organization, Woody [Johnson] and Joe, they really believed in me. They really see the potential that I can become one of the best D-tackles in the league.
“They basically invested in my life and my family to … take this organization to the next level.”
Williams skipped voluntary organized team activity practices, but said he talked “every day” to Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.
“Not being there with my brothers — the offseason is a big thing to get to know each other — to work with them really hurt me,” Williams said. “I took it to a whole new level training and working out because I knew that when I got back I wanted to be on my ‘A’ game.”
In a gesture of respect, dozens of staff members from various departments within the franchise came outside to listen to Williams’ news conference.
“I didn’t really have any doubts it was going to get done,” linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “I’m very happy for him. Joe D. said a while ago that Quinnen was ‘untouchable.’ Ever since he said that, I always believed it, so every time I see him, I call him ‘untouchable.’”
Williams met quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the first time this week but said he “felt involved in every way” from afar with the team’s transformative offseason.
Rodgers could steal team MVP honors from Williams, the winner last season, when he had a career-high 12 sacks in 16 games.
“I feel like I haven’t scratched the surface on what I can do,” Williams said, “but definitely on the right path.”