Jets DC Williams dismisses Beckham's accusations

Gregg Williams dismissed Odell Beckham Jr.'s accusation that he told his players to injure the wide receiver during a preseason game when he was an assistant with the Cleveland Browns. Beckham told reporters on Thursday that he needed to watch out for "cheap shots" and "dirty hits" during Monday night's game pitting his Browns against the New York Jets because Williams "likes to teach" those tactics. Williams is the New York Jets defensive coordinator.

While playing for the New York Giants, Beckham sustained an ankle injury in a 2017 preseason contest against Williams' Browns after being undercut by cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun, who drove his shoulder and helmet into the star receiver's left leg. Beckham said he tried to return from that injury too soon and ultimately broke his ankle, sidelining him for the season. "I just found out about (Beckham's comments), but there have been several players that have already come out that have mentioned things about that," the 61-year-old Williams said Friday. "We don't do that. I've never done that anywhere I've been. We don't do anything to hurt the team. That's the No. 1 primary thing. If you're committing penalties, you're doing those types of stuff. We just don't do it."

Williams then took aim at the media for providing the vehicle for Beckham. "And you guys are cooperating, giving him attention. Just don't give him attention," he said. "It just is what it is."

The NFL suspended Williams for one season for his role in the "Bountygate" scandal in which the New Orleans Saints were found to have operated a bounty system from 2009-11 whereby players were paid bonuses for hard hits and deliberately injuring players. Williams was New Orleans' defensive coordinator at the time. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)