PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cary Williams apologized to his teammates Tuesday and admitted he made a mistake in his postgame rant after the Eagles’ 37-34 win over the Washington Redskins.
Williams questioned coach Chip Kelly’s practice habits in the locker room after the game Sunday, specifically Kelly’s bringing the team in for a light walkthrough early last week, one day after it played a Monday night game in Indianapolis.
Williams met with Kelly on Monday, then said Tuesday he spoke “out of anger and frustration.”
“I said what I said, man. … It’s out there,” Williams said. “I could have played better (Sunday). I spoke to my teammates and told them I was sorry for what I said. So, it won’t happen again. I won’t talk negatively about the team.
“We are 3-0 and that’s something to be proud of. I am happy we are 3-0. Things could have gone otherwise.”
Williams said he was being honest about how he felt, but that he could have chosen a better way to get his point across without making his feelings public.
“Obviously, honesty isn’t always the best policy,” he said. “Sometimes people take things the wrong way. But I realized I made that mistake. My teammates realize that and forgave me.
“I try not to lie. In that situation I don’t think I did. But in that situation, I should have kept it in house between me and 56 other guys in here and coach Chip. I made a mistake. I’m sorry for it.”
Williams also says he’s learned from his Sunday sermon.
“I have to be slow to speak,” he said. “I know I helped a lot of you guys and your papers. That’s cool. I just have to be smarter in what I say. What’s the bigger picture, team first, obviously? Then about the consequences of what I may say and the way people perceive me. I’m anything but a selfish guy.
“I know what it takes. No player in here would question my practice style. But my personal feelings don’t matter, it’s team first.”
Williams came in Monday, the player’s scheduled day off, to meet with the coach and talk about what he said postgame.
“We had a great conversation,” Williams said. “We got something great out of it. We made great progress.”
Does he think he made any ground with the coach? Tuesday’s practice was a little shorter than normal.
“I don’t know,” Williams said. “We had a great conversation. I talked, he listened. He talked, I listened. We got great information from each other.”
Williams won a Super Bowl with Baltimore, then joined the Eagles as a free agent. He is in the second year of a three-year, $17 million contract. He’s earning $4.75 million guaranteed this year. Next year he is scheduled to make $6.5 million, none of which is guaranteed. Is there concern about his future with the team?
“I can coexist,” he said. “I don’t concern myself with the future … right now the San Francisco 49ers are my only concern.”
NOTES: The team made changes on its makeshift offensive line. Matt Tobin, out since the end of preseason with a sprained ankle, was at left guard with the first team. Dennis Kelly, who started the past two games at left guard, was at right guard. Todd Herremans moved from right guard to right tackle. . Inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who missed last week’s game with a calf injury, is still day to day and did not practice. . Rookie first-round draft pick Marcus Smith, who played 16 snaps at inside linebacker last Sunday, continues to get work there along with Casey Matthews and Emmanuel Acho in place of Kendricks.
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He said he was being honest about how he felt, but that he could have chosen a better way to get his point across without making his feelings public.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
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