TheOak

NFL.com news: Gregg Williams in contact with NFL about reinstatement steps

The process of potential reinstatement for St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is already underway, league sources said Wednesday.
Williams, through his advisers, has been in contact with high-ranking league officials to discuss what steps are to be taken during his suspension to allow him to apply for reinstatement.
Williams currently is suspended indefinitely for his role in the New Orleans Saints' "bounty" scandal, in which Williams, then the Saints' defensive coordinator, offered payments to his defenders for cart-off or knock-out hits during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons.
The league has worked with suspended parties in the past to prescribe a course of action for reinstatement -- not unlike what Michael Vick went through after his dog fighting case -- and there is consistent contact between the sides as part of it. In general, they are advised to keep a low profile until the stage where the party is volunteering and beginning the public component of the process. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell traditionally has been very hands on, with direct conversations and private meetings with those involved during the extent of their suspension.
While there is a perception that Williams might be banished from the game for life, or for a long period of time, that in fact could end up not being the case. History of such cases under Goodell would speak to a process whereby, if followed closely, leads to reinstatement. Williams' case is different than many, in that the bounty allegations are more directly tied to the nature of the game itself, but Rams coach Jeff Fisher already has made public comments about his willingness to welcome Williams back to his staff if and when he is reinstated.
Williams is eligible for possible reinstatement the day after the Super Bowl -- less than a year away -- and, according to those who have been in contact with him, he has been using his time away from football to reflect upon and think critically about how to emerge from this as a better coach, and how to enact positive change from it.
Williams could be required to give speeches and perform outreach work related to player safety and sportsmanship as part of the reinstatement process as well and has been willing to comply in any way possible thus far through the early stages of this process, according to league sources.

FinSaint

I bet he'll be allowed to come back immediately after this coming season - if someone is interested in his services - so he'll end up serving the same sentence as SP.

Goodell has already made a mockery of these proceedings, so he'll undoubtedly do it once again in a year's time.

halloween 65

I want him to come back, he has done what every DC has done, he just opened his mouth up to much. Just don't bring him back to New Orleans. A few apoligies and puckering up to kiss Goddells tail, he'll be in.

SaintsBro

Key thing to remember: with Goodell, it's not about the substance of whether Williams actually reforms in his soul or not -- it's all about the SHOW that Williams puts on, for Goodell...

is he sufficiently fawning and obedient to "the shield" and the league...is he contrite...is he humble...does he display his remorse and regret for what he did, in a suitably public apologetic fashion...just like with Vick, this is all about the PR of the "rehabilitation," and ALWAYS about trying to make the league look better, smelling like roses, even when there is ample evidence that the NFL is not a rainbows-and-unicorns type of place.

With Payton meanwhile, that's more of a personal grudge that Goodell has against him, because of the Ornstein thing and other stuff...and it worries me, I have a small feeling that we may have problems getting Sean to behave and play along. I just don't see Sean Payton doing a very good job of publicly kissing up to the league and the commissioner and all this stuff to get himself reinstated, and that sorta worries me a bit.

FinSaint

I have nothing against him coming back to the league, but I'd certainly have a lot against him being able to come back after this coming season, and in effect serving the same punishment as SP.

I mean "indefinitely" should be more than a 1-year suspension if you ask me - he was after all supposedly the ring leader behind this activity while SP simply did nothing to stop it and tried to cover it up.

ChrisXVI

Well the cover up is always worse than the crime. Not that I don't agree with you, but that's well known when it comes to scandals.

SaintPauly

He will be back. My bet is that he will get a job from a way under the radar team, and tread very quietly for a while.

WhoDat!656

If GW gets back in before Payton, SP should sue the league for lost wages!

Who gives a fat rat's a$$ if he cuts up a few trees after a tornado?

I don't remember him doing that while he was with the Saints, and there were a helluva lot more trees downed because of tornados than NFL players carted off because of his damn 'bountys'!!!!