Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is returning to play at Washington in 2026, he announced on Instagram on Thursday night.
His decision concludes a frenetic 48 hours in which Williams announced his intent to transfer just days after signing a contract with the school that sources indicated to ESPN was for the mid-$4 million range for 2026.
The decision to transfer sent a ripple of shock through college sports, as it became a flashpoint for the validity of contracts. Sources at Washington made clear to ESPN that the university was pursuing legal options to enforce Williams’ contract.
Williams’ expected destination was LSU, sources told ESPN, but any transfer would have taken significant legal wrangling. Both Washington and the Big Ten were prepared for a fight, and Williams soon became the focal point of the uncertain realities of modern college sports.
But Thursday night, just minutes after the start of the College Football Playoff national semifinal between Miami and Ole Miss, Williams reversed course and decided to stay.
“I am fully committed and focused on contributing to what we are building,” he wrote in the post.
Williams also apologized that the timing of his initial announcement coincided with the celebration of life of UW women’s soccer player Mia Hamant.
“I never intended to call attention away from such an important moment,” he wrote.
Williams, who will be a junior, is expected to be one of the top handful of college quarterbacks next season. In his first season as a full-time starter, he threw for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
The initial transfer announcement sent the Washington program scrambling just days after issuing a significant contract to Williams. In the 48 hours after, the school began the process of replacing Williams with another quarterback while strategizing how to handle the situation.
Editor’s Picks
1 Related
On Thursday, prior to Williams’ announcement that he was returning to Washington, his agent, Doug Hendrickson of Wasserman Football, dropped the quarterback as a client. Soon after, Williams retained lawyer Darren Heitner, who is a veteran of NCAA eligibility cases. Williams and his camp spent the day discussing his options before coming to the conclusion that he should return.
Coach Jedd Fisch noted in a statement Thursday night that he and Williams “will work together to begin the process of repairing relationships and regaining the trust of the Husky community.”
Fisch added: “Demond and I have engaged in very honest and heartfelt conversations about his present and future. We both agree that the University of Washington is the best place for him to continue his academic, athletic, and social development.”
Williams’ situation was watched closely around college athletics. One high-ranking college official summed up the situation this way earlier in the week: “This is a very bright line. Are we going to respect each other’s contracts? This is a very simple thing. If we can’t protect this, nothing else matters.”
