CFL team began this week’s practices expecting to make a change in its secondary
Just before beleaguered defensive back Deontai Williams was about to answer some uncomfortable media questions inside Mosaic Stadium, Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Mace stopped to say a few quiet words, patted his shoulders and gave his player a hug.
Mace handles things differently. He expects his players to be mature, accountable, honest and available, while consistently showing he cares for them like family members.
Williams had an online hearing Tuesday with the CFL office and was about to own up publicly to a dirty play he made at the conclusion of Saturday’s 29-16 victory over the visiting Ottawa Redblacks, when he dropped opposing receiver Kalil Pimpleton on his head. That caused numerous heated, on-field conversations in addition to Williams being ejected and earning a 25-yard penalty for rough play.
By Wednesday morning there was still no word from the CFL office about a possible fine and/or suspension as the Roughriders practised with different versions of their starting defensive backfield. Some of those groups didn’t include Williams, who sent an apologetic email to Pimpleton after the incident and, during the congenial exchange, received a Biblical verse in return.
“If I play, I play. If I don’t, then it’s what it is. But like I said, I regret my decision and my intent was never try to hurt him out there.”
With their 7-7-1 record and victories in their last two contests, the Roughriders can clinch a playoff berth this weekend if they win and two other teams, the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, lose their respective games.
“We addressed it as a team,” said Mace. “All those guys, they know, they play the same sport. It’s physical enough as is, obviously no one’s ever intending to hurt anybody.
“It not within the rules of the game. In (Williams’) situation, with that tackle, I believe he could have gone about it a different way. But the melee and all that stuff that happened after, that’s not what we talk about. That’s exactly everything we’re trying to get away from. So it’s another opportunity for us to learn in a situation like that. Again, just trying to learn to win with a little more class.”
Despite the stupidity of his play, Williams said he was grateful for Pimpleton’s forgiveness, plus the support he received from teammates immediately following the upside-down tackle and in the days afterwards. His family was disappointed in his actions, but has also been supportive because they know his true character, he said, as an athlete who typically plays the game properly.
“I’ve always been a hard-hitting player, but I’ve never been a dirty type of player,” said Williams, who admitted he has sadly watched the replay numerous times. “I wish I could rewind everything, go back in time on that play. I wish I could just use my body weight to lay on him and just keep him down instead of trying to pick him up.”
Williams also explained some of his actions as the game concluded, when it looked like he may have been celebrating the play. Williams insisted he was simply happy about the Roughriders’ victory, so he was waving to the crowd in jubilation. It had nothing to do with that specific play, one he vowed to never repeat.
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