Gregg Williams was given an opportunity on Friday to defend himself against claims that he has instructed players to injure Odell Beckham Jr and other opponents in the past, and the New York Jets defensive coordinator issued a denial and then some.
For starters, Williams said he has never put out a hit on an opposing player. He also criticized the media for giving Beckham’s allegations attention, and he interrupted when one reporter noted that the star receiver is “one of the most dynamic players in the league.”
Gregg Williams' response to Odell Beckham: pic.twitter.com/uKmUmQhu8j
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 13, 2019
“That’s your opinion?” Williams asked. “What’s New York’s opinion — the Giants’ opinion? That’s not a question for me.”
Williams then became irritated when the Beckham questions kept coming.
Question: How can you say that you haven't coached players to injure anyone when you were suspended by the NFL?
Gregg Williams: "Was that right or wrong? Again, I don’t want to talk about that. Do you want to talk about Cleveland.? NEXT!!"
— Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) September 13, 2019
Beckham said Thursday that some of his Cleveland Browns teammates have told him Williams instructed them to take Beckham out during a preseason game in 2017. Beckham suffered an ankle injury in that game on a low hit.
Williams, of course, was at the center of the Bountygate scandal with the New Orleans Saints several years ago, and some disturbing audio clips appeared to show him urging defensive players to injure opponents. Despite his suspension and the damning evidence, some of Williams’ former players have maintained that the coach did nothing wrong.
