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It's the package no NFL player wants to see. An elongated and thin FedEx envelope from the NFL offices, signaling a hearty slap on the wrist for fineable offenses. Williams opened it up and saw it was a $15,000 fine for his low hit on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. A play that the defensive tackle was flagged for roughing the passer when it initially happened.
Williams was not a happy camper, to say the least.
"I don't know," he said. "I don't know [what he could have done differently]. Other then let him throw the ball, I don't know. I could understand if I dove at him head first and hit him, or hit him behind the legs and dove with him with a shoulder. But I hit him with my arm. And you know, you get a $15,000 fine for hitting a guy with the ball. I don't get it."
Even though he wasn't pleased with the fine, he thought something along those lines may be headed his way.
"I figured it was, but I mean, at the same time I asked the guy, the official during the game. I'm like 'What do you want me to do?'" Williams said. "He didn't say anything. I wasn't exactly calm when I asked him, but I'm trying to figure out, you know, get blocked down, you're going down and the guy's still got the ball."
"I didn't dive in to the side of his leg, I didn't spear him in the side of the leg. I hit him with my forearm in his calf and he went down. You've got guys out there hitting Fitz in the chest with their helmet when he's going down. I don't know what you're supposed to do."
The league offices do not officially announce the fines or give explanations for the fines until the Friday following the offense. There has been no indication whether a pair of questionable Patriots hits on Bills offensive players have been fined to this point in time.