| Kenny Williams admits that it's probably best that he won't be in a room with Gregg anytime soon. (US PRESSWIRE) |
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely for his prominent role in the Saints bounty scandal, it was with the understanding that Goodell would revisit Williams' case after a year.
That avenue back into the league all but disappeared after an audio recording surfaced early Thursday. In it, Williams, who is speaking to his defense before January's playoff game against the 49ers, alludes to payoffs for hits to San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith, says "We've got to do everything in the world to make sure we kill Frank Gore's head," and saved the worst for 49ers wide receiver Kyle Williams: "We need to find out in the first two series of the game, the little wide receiver, No. 10, about his concussion," he said. "We need to [expletive] put a lick on him, move him to decide. He needs to decide."
Kyle Williams' father, Kenny, is the general manager for the Chicago White Sox. On Thursday afternoon, he released a statement (via the Chicago Tribune):
"To answer the questions directed specifically to me, as a father first and foremost, I am glad to report Kyle's concussion tests have been extremely positive and we are grateful he is ready and anxious to get back to competition. Personally, suspension or not, it's probably best I'm never in a room with Gregg Williams and wonder if such an order crosses the line of the aggressive, competitive spirit we all know and love about the sport; and leans closer to a criminal act and therefore a litigious matter.
"Putting aside my fatherly feelings and putting on my sports executive hat, I have tremendous respect and admiration for the league in general, the 49ers organization and Trent Balke and Jim Harbaugh in particular. I have no doubt they are monitoring the situation very closely and will take the appropriate action should they deem it necessary in this matter."
Kenny Williams also said that his son "has definite feelings on the subject but has chosen to remain committed to providing all his answers to any questions on the field next season."
Williams also came to his son's defense following the NFC Championship Game loss to the Giants, when Kyle's two costly fumbles played a part in outcome. It was so bad that Kyle Williams received death threats.
"I’m used to the years of criticism and threats on my life from time to time, but I have to hear about threats on your son’s life while you’re watching TV and it certainly makes you question our culture of sports as it stands," Kenny Williams told ESPNChicago.com at the time. "I told his mother on the way out exactly what was coming. That's the nature of the beast."
Kyle Williams' teammate, safety Donte Whitner, said during a Thursday appearance on Sirius XM (via PFT) that "Those are my teammates. If those things are true, I think it's really disgusting and something should be done about it to a higher extreme than what is [already done]. You’re out there intending to hurt guys. This is their careers and how they take care of their families."
We're guessing that Goodell will see to it that Gregg Williams never coaches another game in the NFL.
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