Teddy Williams' first week at Dallas Cowboys training camp has been a whirlwind, to say the least.
SAN ANTONIO — “Runnin' Down A Dream” and “Learning To Fly.”
Those are the titles of two popular songs written by Tom Petty and performed by his band, The Heartbreakers, in 1989 and ’91, respectively. When open to interpretation, they are about chasing your dreams and setting your goals at the highest level, no matter how difficult they may be to attain.
In the case of former UTSA track & field All-American Teddy Williams more than two decades later, those two songs are apropos, as he gets ready to make his National Football League (NFL) debut on Sunday night at the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio (7 p.m., vs. Cincinnati Bengals, NBC).
The last week Williams’ life has been a whirlwind, to say the least, but the Tyler native has made a quick adjustment to life in the NFL, although it hasn’t been easy.
Between his signing last Thursday afternoon, a full week of two-a-day practices at the Alamodome, hours of one-on-one coaching from the Cowboys’ defensive backs staff and countless meetings to learn the team’s system, Williams barely has had time to get comfortable. However, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder said things have gone much smoother than he imagined when he first stepped on the turf a week ago.
“I’d say things have gone well so far,” he said earlier this week. “I’m getting used to the system and adjusting to the practice schedule. Coach (Dave) Campo and Coach (Brett) Maxie have stayed on me pretty good and they see a lot of potential in me. I’m the first one here every day and the last one to leave, so I am definitely getting my reps in.”
That’s not to say it hasn’t been a challenge, especially since it has been more than four-and-a-half years since he last put on shoulder pads and a helmet, but that was as a wide receiver, not his new position of cornerback.
“Learning to play a new position has been difficult,” Williams said. “I’ve had to learn all the coverages and make sure I’m in the right place on every play. The playbook is the size of a phone book, but my teammates have been very helpful.”
Pro Bowlers Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins, the team’s starting cornerbacks, have taken Williams under their wings and he said their guidance has been a big boost not only to his confidence but also in being able to adjust so quickly.
| Pro Bowler Terence Newman (right) has taken Teddy Williams under his wing (photo by Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News). |
Newman, an eight-year veteran from Kansas State, said it’s his job as a veteran to help rookies adjust to the NFL and that he has seen marked improvement since the first day Williams arrived at camp.
“Teddy is a great athlete,” Newman said. “The crazy thing is he's never played d-back before in his life. To see what he's done from the first day until now is remarkable and amazing. I want to make sure I help him prove the critics wrong because he can go as far as he wants to. He's done a great job transforming what he did in track to being an NFL cornerback and it's been impressive and fun to watch."
Seventh-year wideout Patrick Crayton also has been impressed.
"He's fast as hell and the scary thing is he's still learning," Crayton said. "He hasn't played football since high school and it's obviously a big difference, but he's picking it up. There's been a big jump from the first day and you can definitely notice the improvement. There haven't been many guys I've played who are faster than he is."
Williams also has seen extensive action on special teams, primarily on kickoff coverage and punt returns, and he has returned some kickoffs, but defensive back is where he has spent the majority of his time.
Cowboys secondary coach Dave Campo has been an integral part of Williams’ development in the first week, spending extra time with him both before and after practice working on his technique and getting him to react in certain situations. He said he has been pleasantly surprised with his new pupil’s development.
| Cowboys secondary coach Dave Campo (right) has been spending time before and after practice working with his new pupil. |
“I’ve been absolutely pleased with his progress,” Campo said. “I’d have been shocked if you told me he'd be in the two-minute drill in less than a week. So in my mind, he's ahead of where I thought he'd be. His track background helps him because he's got the insides to want to do the little things. He wants to know every little detail. He's not trying to rush through anything. He wants to learn and is a quick learner, but he's still got a long ways to go.”
Head coach Wade Phillips agreed with his assistant when asked to assess Williams’ first week in the blue and silver.
“It's amazing how quickly he's come along,” Phillips said. “He's a work in progress, but he's got a lot of ability. He has all the qualities you're looking for, but he's a little behind in some fundamentals. Any time you can run that fast and are as smart as he is, though, it makes for an easier transition.”
Having the opportunity to play the game he loves after such a long absence has been a dream come true.
“I’m having so much fun,” Williams said. “It’s great to be back on the field after so much time away. Football has always been my first love and to be playing again is a blessing.”
The fun will begin in earnest come Sunday night when Williams steps onto Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium to take on the Bengals.