FRISCO, Texas — Quinnen Williams‘s locker now sits next to Dak Prescott‘s in the middle of the Dallas Cowboys locker room, hours after Williams was voted a defensive captain.
Prescott said Williams gives him history from past teams and the situations he was in, and that the two go back and forth across offense and defense.
“He’s a hell of a guy,” Prescott said. “Obviously since we got him last year, you can see the impact and watch the guys around him and know that’s rubbing off on them and just the way that they approach this game.”
“He’s one of the best leaders in the locker room. He’s a great guy for me to be able to talk to,” Prescott continued. “So he’s a guy that everybody’s going to follow. And when he speaks, it’s heard.”
Quinnen Williams Was Voted A Cowboys Captain Thursday
Williams and Kenny Clark took the defensive patches in a full-roster vote announced Thursday morning. Prescott has offense and kicker Brandon Aubrey has special teams.
Dallas carried six captains last season and four this season. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb wore the patch in 2025 and is not among the group in 2026.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Thursday that Williams has been about winning since he arrived and that he has never won in the NFL. Schottenheimer also said he was the one who separated the four winners from the rest of the field once the vote totals came in.
What Dak Prescott Sees From Quinnen Williams In Practice
Prescott said the linemen set the tone in pads over the past month, and that the offensive line drew the matchup every day.
“You’ve got one of the best interior matchups I think you’re going to find in the game of football each and every day with Quinnen and Tyler,” Prescott explained.
Schottenheimer said Thursday that the Cowboys’ starting interior three draw Williams, Clark, and Otito Ogbonnia at every practice, and that he likes how in sync the group is.
Quinnen Williams’ Seven Seasons With The New York Jets
The New York Jets took Williams third overall in 2019 out of Alabama. He is from Birmingham and played at Wenonah High School. His older brother, Quincy Williams, entered the league the same year.
Williams appeared in 98 games for New York, starting 94 of them and recording 40 sacks. He contributed a total of 4,269 defensive snaps.
His 2022 season was his peak: 12 sacks, 55 tackles, 12 for loss, 28 QB hits in 16 games. First-team All-Pro and seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He recorded his only career safety in 2023.
New York did not reach the playoffs in any of his seven seasons. He was a captain there three times.
Quinnen Williams In Dallas
Dallas acquired Williams at the 2025 trade deadline. He started all seven games he played for the Cowboys, with 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception across 275 defensive snaps, 65% of the team total.
His pressure numbers changed in Dallas. Williams had 19 pressures in seven games with the Cowboys after 7 in eight games with the Jets in 2025. He finished the season with 15 games, 15 starts, 53 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and his fourth Pro Bowl.
Williams wore No. 95 with the Jets. He wears No. 92 in Dallas.
Over seven seasons, he has 105 games, 101 starts, 41.5 sacks, 343 tackles, 62 for loss, and 110 QB hits. At 28, he’s 6-3, 303 lbs.
Three weeks ago, Williams signed a three-year contract extension valued at $105.9 million, including $101 million guaranteed, which extends his agreement through 2030.
Schottenheimer named Williams to an 11-player leadership council in July. The group also includes Prescott, Clark, CeeDee Lamb, Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, Jake Ferguson, Javonte Williams, and punter Bryan Anger.
The Cowboys open Sept. 13 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants. Kickoff is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
