A couple of months after saying he was going to test the free agency waters after this season, the St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that Phat Pat Williams has signed a new three-year contract extension with the beloved Purple.
"It wasn't a respect thing. It wasn't a money thing," Williams said. "I just wanted everything to be fair. People talk about market value and all that, but that's overrated.
"I'm just happy, because me and coach (Brad Childress) always talk, and he said we would get it done, and we got it done," Williams said.
Nicely done, Brad Childress and Rick Spielman. I'm quite happy to see that the best run-stopping tackle in the NFL is going to remain in Minnesota, right next to the best overall defensive tackle in the NFL to anchor the Vikings' defense until 2010.
Yeah, Phat Pat is getting up there in years, but you know what? The man still brings it every single week. He's playing at a level as high as he's ever played at, and since he seems to be even more committed to keeping himself in shape, I have no reason to believe that he won't continue to do so. Ted Washington is still a viable run-stopper in this league, and I believe he just recently celebrated his 83rd birthday. If he can do it, so can #94.