Jonathan Williams will be available when the Buffalo Bills open the 2017 regular season at New Era Field on September 10th.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the soon-to-be second year running back won’t be suspended by the NFL under the league’s substance abuse policy. This comes three weeks after Williams was found not guilty of driving while intoxicated in Arkansas.
#Bills RB Jonathan Williams, recently found not guilty of DWI, was informed by @NFL he won't be disciplined under the substance abuse policy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 29, 2017
Buffalo Bills Running Back Jonathan Williams To Escape Discipline From NFL
The incident in question took place in the early morning hours of July 14, 2016. Fayetteville, AR police pulled Williams over after getting a call about a driver possibly operating a vehicle while impaired. Williams refused a breathalyzer test but showed signs “consistent with intoxication” during a field sobriety examination. Police then arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
The not guilty verdict in the case likely arose from there not being an official blood alcohol content reading. Per TMZ, Williams’ lawyer Shane Wilkinson stated that the prosecution “simply didn’t have enough evidence to prove he was intoxicated.”
Under the league’s policy and program on substances of abuse, players who receive a first-time drunk driving conviction are subject to a two-game suspension. Williams likely would have faced such a penalty in the event he was found guilty. But his acquittal paved the way for him to receive no discipline from the league.
The 23-year-old Williams made a minimal contribution to the Bills backfield during his rookie season. He appeared in 11 games and finished with 27 attempts for 94 yards and a touchdown. His lone score came in a 41-25 loss to the New England Patriots on October 30th.
Buffalo took Williams in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, selecting him 156th overall. The move drew surprise in some circles considering Williams suffered a season-ending foot injury during his senior year at Arkansas. But the previous year, Williams led the Razorbacks with 1,190 rushing yards and added 12 touchdowns, earning second-team all-SEC honors.
Expectations are that Williams will receive a higher work load in 2017. With the Patriots signing Mike Gillislee to a restricted free agent tender, Williams is the favorite to assume the number two running back role behind LeSean McCoy.
