Browns K'Waun Williams was told today by a specialist at the Cleveland Clinic that he needs surgery on his right ankle. He will appeal his fine and suspension by the Browns.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns cornerback K'Waun Williams was told by an independent specialist at the Cleveland Clinic Wednesday that he needs surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle "in order for him to perform as a professional athlete,'' his agent told cleveland.com.
As a result, Williams will appeal his two-game suspension and one game-check fine by the Browns through the NFLPA his agent Evan Krakower said. The fine amounts to $35,292 -- or 1/17th of his $600,000 salary. Krakower described the sanctions as "excessive'' and "unwarranted.''
The Browns suspended Williams and fined him for "for multiple violations of team rules'' after he refused to play the full game in Green Bay. He also told the club he was retiring, a source told cleveland.com.
The next day, he rescinded his retirement plans and said he didn't play because of the ankle, the source said.
But a source close to Williams said he informed the Browns Friday night in Green Bay that he couldn't take on a full load of work because of the sore ankle.
Williams flew back to Cleveland after the Green Bay game and has not return to the team since. Krakower said he stayed away while in the process of trying to get a second opinion on the ankle.
At first, he planned to have the second opinion in Charlotte, N.C., but the specialist was unavailable. Ultimately, Williams was seen by an independent doctor at the Cleveland Clinic at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
The specialist informed Williams that he does, in fact, need surgery on the right ankle.
"He has bone spurs that impact his ability to perform at his maximum ability,'' said Krakower. "In order for him to perform, he requires surgical intervention at this time.''
NFL Network reported Tuesday that Williams opted not to play because new nickelback Jamar Taylor, acquired in a draft day trade from Atlanta, was starting ahead of him. But the source close to Williams told cleveland.com that was untrue.
Williams, he said, was still ailing from the ankle injury he aggravated while defending Rashard Higgins on a pass from Robert Griffin III in the Orange and Brown scrimmage at Ohio State Aug. 6. He said Williams was seen by a trainer after coming up limping that day, and also received treatment on it the day before the Packers game.
K'Waun Williams suspended 2 games and fined 1 check for refusing to play in Green Bay
The messy situation will likely result in Williams' departure from the Browns, through trade or waiver. If the Browns decide to part with him, several teams are expected to be interested, including the 49ers, where former Browns defensive coordinator Jim O'Neill and former defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley now work. Hafley recruited Williams to Pitt and brought him to the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2014.
Williams had already begun to fall behind Taylor in the battle for the starting nickelback job.
"In Jamar's case, he's a true professional,'' defensive backs Louie Cioffi said last week. "He's embraced the challenge. He's come in and he's worked really hard both on and off the field. He takes coaching really well. He really has a really good athletic skillset. He can play both on the outside and he can play inside. Like I said, I'm excited to see him play in games. I'm glad we got him."
Coiffi cited Taylor's "knowledge of football, his awareness of football, just being a natural football player, No.1, but then his really good quickness, that really helps when you're inside there'' as reasons he'll make a good nickelback.
Williams, the Browns starting cornerback the last two years, is in the last year of his contract. According to the profootballfocus.com, he was the 41st-best nickelback in the league last season. In 2014, he was ranked in the their top 15.
Krakower issued a press release Wednesday night explaining their position. The Browns stood by their statement that Williams violated multiple team rules.
"The NFL has stated that player safety is paramount,'' Krakower said in the release. "We believe in this incident the Browns' intimate knowledge of Mr. Williams' physical ailments, when weighed against their plans to use him in the first preseason game of the season, contradicts that policy.
"We regret the unfortunate situation that led to the Browns suspension of K'Waun, and we firmly believe that this incident resulted from a lack of communication and understanding of all parties involved. When emotions are involved in discussions, and unreasonable solutions are given, without time for reflection, knee jerk reactions can be expected.''
Krakower stressed that Williams' refusal to play full-time in the game was all about the ankle -- although that conflicts with the team's version of events.
"We firmly believe that K'Waun's failure to play was a result of his physical condition and to his concerns for his future health, of which most significantly was an ongoing ankle problem (this condition deteriorated and now requires surgical intervention in order to perform as a professional athlete),'' Krakower said in the release. "It is extremely puzzling that the Brown comments have ignored the significant treatment they have provided K'Waun to his ankle up to the night in question. Mr. Williams is well aware of the physical condition that is required to endure a sixteen game NFL season.
"In light of his previous service to the team and his injury history, we believe the Browns suspension and fine are excessive in nature at best, and totally unwarranted at worst. A punishment of this excessive nature of a player, with a previous exemplary record on and off the field, is inappropriate. Therefore, Mr. Williams will be appealing this fine and suspension through the appropriate channels.''
It remains to be seen if the Browns will repeal the suspension and fine and part with Williams before it becomes a long, drawn-out saga.
