The Denver Broncos face the loss of top tackler D.J. Williams for an NFL suspension following his second drunken driving arrest. The linebacker and defensive co-captain was faced with driving under the influence just after getting arrested in Denver early Friday morning, just hours ahead of he was supposed to report to work at Dove Valley. It really is his second such arrest. He pleaded guilty in September 2005 to driving drunk and was ordered to execute 24 hours of community service. Soon after that, he stated he realized he necessary to acquire a designated driver whenever he went out partying, and the team offers drivers to its players but Williams did not use one Friday.
District attorney’s spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough mentioned Williams was pulled over at 2:40 a.m. Friday for driving devoid of headlights on. He was cited with DUI, a misdemeanor, also as driving without having headlights. He was ordered to seem in court Dec. 13.
Williams, a seventh-year pro from the University of Miami, likely is going to be suspended for numerous games for violating the NFL’s individual conduct policy. San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson is serving a three-game suspension for several DUI arrests, which was lowered from an original four-game penalty.
A conviction isn’t needed for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend a player with out pay. The league’s policy states: “If the Commissioner finds that … the player has had prior drug or alcohol-related misconduct, increased discipline up to and including suspension could be imposed.”
Sports betting fans should realize that it could take time for the league to evaluation Williams’ case, so there is a possibility he could nonetheless play Sunday.
Williams showed up only briefly in the team’s headquarters just prior to noon Friday ahead of driving off while his teammates were at practice. The Broncos (2-6) face the league’s leading rushing team Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) stop by Invesco Field
If he does not play, other solutions include inserting Joe Mays at his position at suitable inside linebacker or moving outside linebacker Mario Haggan back inside and playing Jarvis Moss on the outside. None of those solutions are superior than Williams, the fierce tackler whose leadership has been praised profusely by McDaniels and defensive coordinator Don Martindale in current weeks.
Williams’ trouble comes just as the Broncos were talking about receiving healthy following their bye week and exuding an optimism about salvaging their season and getting back in to the AFC West race. The Broncos have relied on Williams a lot more heavily this season with outside linebackers Elvis Dummervil (chest) and Robert Ayers (foot) sidelined, and he’s responded with a team-leading 3.5 sacks as well as a team-best 57 tackles, which put him on pace for a career-high 114.
That Williams is usually a captain produced his arrest all the extra disheartening to an organization that’s been shrouded in negativity through a monthlong skid that integrated a 45-point loss at home to archrival Oakland.