Unsportsmanlike conduct is not just reserved for players.
Redskins tackle Trent Williams accused umpire Roy Ellison of cursing at him during Sunday’s game, and multiple teammates backed Williams’ claim.
Williams said Ellison walked by him after a play and called him a “garbage-a–, disrespectful motherf—–.”
“This is a players’ league,” Williams said after the team’s 24-16 loss to the Eagles. “I don’t think there’s no room for that, to take that from the team and the refs. It’s very unprofessional. It sucks. I’m at a loss of words. You never expect that as a player to have to beef with the refs also.”
Williams said he wasn’t sure what prompted Ellison’s comments. When asked if he had been arguing about calls, Williams said, “I never disrespected him like he disrespected me.”
Multiple players on the Redskins offensive line were wearing microphones for NFL Films, possibly leaving recorded evidence the league could use to investigate the matter. One of the players wearing a microphone was guard Kory Lichtensteiger, who corroborated Williams’ account.
“I’ve never heard anything like that before in my life,” Lichtensteiger said. “I don’t know what it was, but that guy came out with some kind of vendetta. I don’t have a lot else to say, but I heard that comment.”
Pool reporter Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch attempted to contact the officials, who were already on a bus, regarding what Williams relayed. According to Phillips, he told head referee Walt Coleman what occurred and Coleman said, “OK,” before telling the driver to roll up the window. It left shortly after.
An NFL spokesman said the league will look into the situation.
Several of Williams’ teammates yelled at him not to discuss what happened, but the left tackle said he didn’t care if he was fined. Audibly upset even as he went into the shower, Williams said he was not concerned if people think he’s just trying to blame the referees for the team’s loss.
“You can say whatever you want to say,” Williams said. “I’m telling you the truth.”