Thank You, Zed Williams: A Physical Force, an Enduring Individual
NLL Colorado Mammoth

Thank You, Zed Williams: A Physical Force, an Enduring Individual

Published on August 21, 2025 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - Saying goodbye is never easy.

Especially to a person that's been so near and dear to the team for the past four seasons now. Which feels like a lot longer when we start to think back on it.

Likely just an ode to how impactful forward Zed Williams was in bringing the Creator's Game to life each and every time he hit the turf.

Yet, it's Williams' sincere aura that the Mammoth clubhouse will likely miss the most.

The way he carried himself simply made guys want to be better.

To become better players, yeah. But also to become better teammates - Better people. Better members of the community.

Zed often operated on his own frequency, yet it was one of the most relatable and enjoyable vibes most folks in the industry have experienced.

He's simply just a different kind of man - One who will be missed on the turf and in team circles.

Which is nothing against the physical forward's work of art he put on display while donning the Mammoth crest.

He gave the game, and team, his best reps during every single practice, scrimmage and game.

He played the game the way it was meant to be played.

And he helped educate some of the game's youngsters, media and personnel about elements that go much further than any turf setup or arena presence can appreciate.

Recording 204 regular season points (102g, 102a) across 44 appearances rocking burgundy and black is nothing to scoff at, not to mention an ever-crucial 65 points (32g, 33a) throughout the team's consecutive appearances at 2021-22 and 2022-23 NLL Finals showcases.

The ever-skilled scorer was quite the addition, beginning the moment he was acquired from the Georgia Swarm. Helping to usher in the team's eventual 2021-22 NLL Championship, he became an instant Mammoth fan-favorite due to his physical play and willingness to stand up for teammates.

And the whole net-filling, teammate-finding, grown-man-moving act he'd put on every weekend!

Most recently logging 33 points (15g, 18a) during his shortened 2024-25 campaign, Williams saw his season come to an end due to a lower-body injury sustained in February of 2025, thus forcing the talent to miss the entire Premier Lacrosse League's (PLL) summer stint. To say that injury took the wind out of the team for the remainder of the game, if not season, would be an understatement.

While it only made sense that the New York State native would enjoy playing the game he loves a bit closer to home, which shouldn't be a shocker for anybody who understands how much of a family man Zed truly is, the Mammoth weren't actively looking to shop Williams by any means.

Knowing the forward was set to enter free agency as an unrestricted free agent, the team essentially traded the rights to the top-tier talent, who could've signed with another squad ahead of the upcoming 2025-26 NLL campaign free agency period opening.

Which means Colorado could've potentially been awarded a future compensatory pick if Williams would've opted into playing for another franchise.

There's a chance the league would've awarded the Mammoth a first-round selection (which would've been somewhere around picks 15-18, pending other compensatory picks awarded) for Williams' departure. There's also a chance the team would've been awarded a second-round selection, which would've made the compensatory selection even further down the draft order. There's yet another chance any potential compensatory selection would've been nullified should the team land a different unrestricted free agent during the upcoming free agency period.

All of that to say Colorado was successfully able to secure the No. 10 pick in exchange for the talent's expiring contract. Which was very much a business move as opposed to General Manager Brad Self and company looking to part ways with the scorer. Especially with a very impressive draft class waiting in the wings during next month's 2025 NLL Entry Draft.

So, instead of saying goodbye - We'll say "See you down the road."

Maybe as soon as later this season.

The player won't be wearing the same jersey. But the human will be honoring the game and playing for his family just the same. Something we'll always respect in Zed and continue to celebrate as he and players around the league pay tribute to the Medicine Game.

Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels for the team's latest news, transactions and beyond.

Check out the Colorado Mammoth Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



National Lacrosse League Stories from August 21, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central