Alex Boone Tells Great Kevin Williams Story

If we want to get incredibly technical about things, guard Alex Boone and defensive tackle Kevin Williams were teammates with the Minnesota Vikings for approximately twelve hours following Williams signing a one-day deal to retire as a Viking. We’ll likely be discussing in the future whether or not Williams is worthy of the Hall of Fame. . .if Boone gets a vote, Big Kev is heading for Canton.

Today, as players reported to Training Camp, Boone related a funny story about matching up with the Vikings’ great. (Quote comes courtesy of Sam Ekstrom of Cold Omaha.)

Let me tell you a true story. Everybody got a minute? True story with Kevin Williams. First year starting, we’re going to the Metrodome. Thank God we got a new stadium because that Metrodome was terrible. We go up there, and the game was like ten o’clock our time. And I remember thinking the whole week, "Who is Kevin Williams and what the hell could he do to me?" I’m like, "Dude. I’m young, he’s old. I’m good looking, he’s not. I got this sewn up." First time ever I thought I had it. I went out there and he whipped me like a little boy, and I remember that game. I remember every play from that game, and I remember exactly what he did to me. I never slept on him since then. We played them three or four more times and we played him when he was in Seattle, and I remember I watched more film on Kevin Williams than I did on anybody because I was just so afraid he was gonna pull something out of his bag. I told him during the game, too, he’s probably the most respected person that I respect in this game because of what he did to me and how I thought he was just old. He ain’t got it anymore. He’s not gonna do anything. And he just beat me all up and down that field.

From what I can find, the first year that Boone was a starter for the Niners would have been 2012, which means the game he’s referring to the 24-13 Minnesota victory over the Niners in Week 3 of the 2012 season. Kevin Williams didn’t show up much in the box score for that one. . .ESPN has him credited with two tackles and a pass defended. . .but apparently the big man did enough things that didn’t appear in the box score to make an impression on young Alex Boone that’s lasted to this day.

Hopefully the lessons that Alex Boone learned from matching up with Kevin Williams will serve him well in his first season in Minnesota.