Dallas Cowboys DE Sam Williams was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon on Sunday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. Owner and GM Jerry Jones responded in, uh, interesting fashion.
"This sounds a little hollow but he does and is maturing," Jones told reporters. "And he is. What was he going, 66? Was he going 66 miles an hour? This year? So he's 34 mph less than he was ... so that's improvement."
Don't believe me? Here's the video.
That completely unhinged statement references an incident last year, when Williams was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving for going "almost 100 MPH" in a 55 MPH zone near the Cowboys practice facility. Williams was involved in a crash and missed a game due to concussion protocol.
Lol, Jerry. That's about all I've got.
Jerry Jones makes comically unhinged comment about latest Dallas Cowboys arrest
I'm not sure the best unit of measurement for maturity is "MPH on a speeding ticket," but Jones has a different opinion on the matter. That's all good and well, but it's hard to credit Williams for his less-bad speeding when he's actually getting arrested for possession of a controlled substance and a weapon, not the 66 MPH on his speedometer.
Williams needs to make better decisions off the field, especially if he wants to mount a long and productive career in the NFL. It's that simple. Williams is subject to a fine or suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy, per ESPN. We will have to await judgement from the powers that be.
Multiple criminal offenses in consecutive years is generally not a good indicator of a player's maturity, no matter how ardently Jerry Jones sugarcoats the matter.
The Cowboys will hope Williams can keep himself in good legal standing moving forward. The No. 56 pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Williams accured four sacks, three fumble recoveries, and 22 tackles in his rookie season. He is expected to operate behind veteran LDE DeMarcus Lawrence on the depth chart in year two.
Williams has a promising career ahead if he doesn't self-sabotage. The Cowboys historically dominate in the trenches and Williams has no shortage of quality vets to learn from in Dallas. Here's to hoping he can get back on the right track.