It’s been a rough couple of days for the Williams family.

On Monday, All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams learned he had been benched following the team’s bye week. On Tuesday, his younger brother was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for two draft picks and a former first-round selection.

With the deadline deal that sent defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to Dallas, New York has reshaped its roster, moving away from a defensive-minded identity.

And while the veteran linebacker must now move forward without the opportunity to play alongside his brother, the Jets star has bigger issues to focus on over the next few weeks.

Williams brothers split

This won’t be the first time the Williams brothers are playing on different teams. While Quinnen was the third overall pick in the 2019 draft, Quincy was selected in the third round that same year by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After two seasons in Duval, the Jets claimed Quincy to begin the 2021 season. He quickly developed into one of the league’s best off-ball linebackers, earning All-Pro honors in 2023.

Things have changed in 2025, though.

A new defensive scheme and a string of injuries have put the 29-year-old behind the eight ball. It’s forced him to move past the realization that he won’t be sharing the field with his brother for the rest of the year.

“I ain’t really have time to think about it,” Williams told reporters on Wednesday. “I’ve been messing with my own issues. Just getting on the field, getting my starting spot back. That’s really what I’ve been doing. I ain’t really have enough time to take it all in. But I talked to him earlier this morning. Everything good with him.”

There’s good reason why the linebacker has bigger things to worry about.

Following the bye week, Williams’ standing within the team has been flipped upside down.

Jets’ 2026 outlook

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Williams said he had been benched ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

“I came in Monday with the 2s,” Williams said. “I didn’t really understand what was going on. It was one of those things where I told the Jets I wanted to be a Jet for the long term.”

With his benching now a storyline to monitor, the long-term future of the All-Pro linebacker is in question. Williams is in the final year of his contract with the Jets and is set to hit free agency after the season.

New York signed fellow linebacker Jamien Sherwood to a three-year, $45 million contract this offseason. No team in the NFL is paying two linebackers more than $9 million per year — and it’s highly unlikely the Jets will be the first.

That means Williams could be playing on borrowed time in New York.

Should the linebacker hit the open market, joining his younger brother in Dallas appears to be a realistic possibility next season. Until then, he’s focused on earning his starting role back with the Jets and their new coaching staff.