Every Tuesday, we’ll sit down with one of the Packers players, coaches or administrators and spend some time getting a small glimpse into their lives away from football. This week, it’s nickel cornerback Tramon Williams, who talks about breaking into the NFL after bouncing around from tryout to tryout; shopping on Michigan Avenue in Chicago; married life; and much, much more.

 

You have to believe. I never felt that I was a long shot at all. At all. Yeah, people would say things. 'Tramon Williams?' 'Who?' 'This guy's a long shot.' They really don't know much about you. But you come in and make plays that get everybody's attention, and then, it's just there.

 

It’s been a long road. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

 

As soon as I got released from Houston (in 2006), I came here. It was the first workout I came to. That was that first week (of September). Then I went to Atlanta. Jacksonville. ... Where else did I go? ... Carolina. Philly. Chicago. Pittsburgh. It definitely got frustrating. But I was just thankful for the workouts.

 

I drive a Cadillac Escalade. I’ve had it for about two years. That was the first thing I bought once I made it in the NFL. Before that, I drove an old, used Jeep Cherokee. It had about 85,000 miles on it. I upgraded.

 

My favorite TV show is “Martin.” I was in high school when it was on. I’ve got all the DVDs at home. It’s still funny to me. I love the “Jamie Foxx Show,” too. They haven’t come out with DVDs for that yet.

 

I’ve got just about everything on my iPod. Whatever you need. It depends on the situation. When I come in here on game day, I might feel like listening to a little gospel, to get me in the spirit. Or if I’m feeling different, I may listen to some rap. It just depends. I listen to everything.

 

The first job I ever had was working in a supermarket, 16 years old. Bagging and stocking shelves.

 

Growing up, my favorite team was the New Orleans Saints. Never went to a game, but they came on every week on TV, so we watched ‘em. It wasn’t a big thing in our family, but I made sure I watched. I ain’t never thought when I was younger that I’d be playing in the NFL one day. I said it, but as I got older, I didn’t really say it. But I did say it. ‘I’m going to play football.’

 

I don’t do much reading. The Bible, that’s it. I don’t really do too much reading. I’ll start reading something else, but I’ll never finish. But I read the Bible everyday. At night, before I go to sleep.

 

I've always been a confident guy. I mean, I always have to work myself up, from college on up. Walked on in college, had to work myself up there, came in here, and it was never a problem for me to always work myself. I've always been a hard worker and I always had to confidence, I always felt like I was the best, I just always had to show it, it felt like. That's been the major factor right there.

 

Fans don’t know how much I put into this game. They can see from the outside, but they never know what you go through inside. They don’t know what I’ve been through.

 

I’ve got a Facebook account, but I’m not on it too much. I don’t have the other stuff.

 

Everything valuable I have is at my mom’s house. Like the football from my touchdown return against Carolina (in 2007). She’s got that. I don’t have any of that stuff.

 

My favorite moment as a Packer was when I made the team. They gave me a shot – a legitimate shot – and I made it. That was it. I still remember the Family Night Scrimmage that year. I’m not going to say I knew I was on my way that night, but I felt like I caused some confusion. (Laughs.)

 

Away from football, I like to play PlayStation and play basketball. I’m a pretty good basketball player. I had a couple scholarship offers for basketball. But football was too strong. I actually liked football and basketball about the same in high school. But when I looked at it, I felt I had a better shot at football. We’re not allowed to play basketball during the season, but in the offseason, I definitely play a little bit. I’ve got to. It’s a good workout.

 

I wish I was better at baseball. I’m not saying I’m bad at it, but my daddy was a baseball player – maybe I’m a natural. I’ve played in a few celebrity softball games. Again, I’m not saying I’m bad. I just wish I’d have played it more.

 

If I was the NFL commissioner, I’d reimburse the guys their fine money. (Laughs.) That’s funny, right? Seriously, though, I’d look at the situations where you get fined a lot different. It’s hard as a defensive player. You go out there and you hit a guy, and you get fined. Call it on both sides of the ball. I know the defense is going to get fined the most – we do most of the contact – but the offense does some stuff, too. And they don’t get fined. I’ve only gotten fined once –$5,000, for a facemask I felt wasn’t that bad.

 

My favorite NFL city to visit is Chicago. I can say that, hands-down. Roll down Michigan Avenue, and they’ve got every store we want to see out there. We seem to always play down there around Christmastime, so it’s the perfect time of the year. You get there, you shop for your family a little bit, it’s great. I wish we had some of those stores in Green Bay though.

 

My family is doing fine. We never really struggled like some families – we always did all right. I never had to go through the struggles that you talk about with some guys in the league, where they were homeless and things like that. I never had to deal with anything like that. I was pretty blessed.

 

Compared to when I was a rookie, I’m a lot more experienced. Experience does a lot for you. I was one who believed that experience didn’t matter in this game. Until I got out there. That’s when I knew I was wrong. It just enables you to be so much more comfortable out there.

 

My closest friend on the team is my dawg Nicholas Collins. But I’m close will all the DBs – Al, Wood, Pat Lee, everybody. I’m closest with Nick though. He’s got all those kids at home. I just got married, I’m thinking about having kids, so who better to learn from than a guy who’s been through it? I’m not sure I want to babysit though. I mean, I’ve got to work in the morning. (Laughs.)

 

I just got married in June (to Shantrell). The best thing about being married is coming home to a warm, home-cooked meal. That’s the best thing about it. That, and having somebody to keep you warm at night. Green Bay’s cold, you know.