The Washington Commanders reached back into their own history when they hired D.J. Williams as quarterbacks coach, not for nostalgia but for continuity. Williams, the son of franchise and HBCU football legend Doug Williams, joins the Commanders after spending the past two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
The move brings him to the same organization where his father became the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl. Still, the hire reflects Williams’ coaching résumé more than symbolism.
Doug Williams remains with the Commanders as a senior adviser to general manager Adam Peters. As a result, the younger Williams arrives in a familiar environment while stepping into a clearly defined role focused on quarterback development.
An HBCU Quarterback Background That Still Shapes His Path
Before entering the NFL coaching ranks, D.J. Williams built his foundation as an HBCU football quarterback at Grambling State, just like his father Doug Williams, where he played from 2011 to 2014. He became a four-year starter under his father, who served as the Tigers’ head coach during the early part of that stretch.
As a freshman, Williams helped lead Grambling to the 2011 SWAC championship. Soon after, he developed a reputation for poise in high-leverage HBCU football moments. His three-touchdown performance in the Bayou Classic against Southern earned him MVP honors and helped secure the SWAC West Division title.
Williams remained Grambling’s starter throughout his career. In 2013, he passed for a career-high 1,457 yards before a late-season concussion altered the final stretch of his tenure. After graduating in 2015, he participated in several NFL tryouts before shifting his focus to coaching.
Building an NFL Coaching Résumé
Williams began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints in 2017, working in football operations and assisting the coaching staff. He later became a full-time offensive assistant from 2019 through 2023.
During that period, he worked closely with several quarterbacks, including Derek Carr. In Carr’s first season with New Orleans in 2023, he completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 3,878 yards and 25 touchdowns. Carr also finished the season ranked among the league’s top 10 quarterbacks in completions, passing touchdowns, and passer rating.
Williams joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 as an assistant quarterbacks coach and was promoted to quarterbacks coach the following season. In Atlanta, he worked with veteran Kirk Cousins and rookie Michael Penix Jr.
Under Williams’ guidance, Cousins set Falcons single-game records for completions and passing yards during the 2024 season. He also earned multiple NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Meanwhile, Penix showed steady progress in his first NFL starts before suffering an injury.
Overall, Williams’ time in Atlanta reinforced his reputation as a detail-oriented quarterbacks coach rather than a fast-track hire tied to name recognition.
Returning to Washington With a Clear Role
Now in Washington, Williams steps into a quarterback room centered around Jayden Daniels, the Commanders’ franchise signal-caller. Daniels enjoyed a standout rookie season in 2024, earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after leading Washington to a 12–5 record and an NFC Championship appearance.
However, Daniels’ second season proved more difficult. Injuries, including a knee sprain, hamstring strain, and a dislocated elbow, limited his availability and disrupted continuity at the position.
As the Commanders look to stabilize Daniels’ development, Williams’ experience working with both veteran and young quarterbacks becomes central to his role. The hire reflects Washington’s broader effort to invest in long-term quarterback continuity rather than repeated resets.
HBCU Roots Still Part of the Picture
While this move centers on coaching experience, Williams’ HBCU background remains a consistent thread in his professional path. He has participated multiple times in the NFL and Black College Football Hall of Fame Quarterback Coaching Summit and served as the National Team quarterbacks coach at the 2023 Senior Bowl.
Those experiences, combined with nearly a decade inside NFL quarterback rooms, have shaped Williams’ perspective as a coach. His background extends beyond scheme and mechanics, emphasizing preparation and progression at the position.
For the Washington Commanders, the hire brings a familiar name back into the building. More importantly, it adds a quarterback’s coach with a steady track record at a pivotal moment for the franchise’s most important position.