By now you’ve probably heard about Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams being arrested for a DUI on Friday morning — his second in five years. Considering he’s a repeat offender, Williams will likely be in plenty of trouble with the law as well as the NFL and his team. On Saturday, the Denver Broncos released a statement informing the public that Williams has been fined as much as the CBA allows, will not start on Sunday, and is no longer a team captain.
Every DUI should be handled the way Josh McDaniels and the Broncos organization are handling the Williams situation. Denver (2-6) has not had a very successful season thus far, but Williams is an enormous component of their defensive scheme. He’s a tackling machine and a leader on the field. Clearly the same can’t be said of him off the field.
Rather than bench Williams for a quarter and take no other action like the Jets did with Braylon Edwards, the Broncos are doing everything they can under the current CBA to punish him. Stripping a captain of his title mid-season is extremely rare and it’s good to see a coach who isn’t afraid to go there if the player’s behavior warrants it. Williams’ will likely be more concerned about what the law holds for his future, but I commend the Broncos for cutting him down as much as they can until the situation is sorted out.
