NFL

49ers player who fumbled getting death threats, father says

Kyle Williams’ two punt-return miscues in Sunday’s NFC Championship helped send the 49ers home and the Giants to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI.

Now Williams is receiving death threats on Twitter, according to reports.

His father, White Sox GM Kenny Williams, told ESPN of the threats, and that Kyle was apparently playing with an injured left shoulder.

“I’m used to the years of criticism and threats on my life from time to time, but I have to hear about threats on your son’s life while you’re watching TV and it certainly makes you question our culture of sports as it stands,” Kenny Williams said Monday. “I told his mother on the way out exactly what was coming. That’s the nature of the beast.”

Williams said Monday he takes full responsibility for his fumble on a punt return in overtime of a 20-17 loss to the Giants on Sunday night that set up Lawrence Tynes’ winning field goal, calling the moment “painful.”

“I really didn’t pay attention to Twitter. All the feedback I needed was family and friends, the guys in the locker room,” Williams said.

He said it’s part of his job to face the criticism in the aftermath of his mistakes and not hide out in a difficult time. Perhaps that will go a little way in calming down the angry fans, some of whom wished harm on Williams and his family after the gaffes.

“It’s one of those things you have to take accountability for,” Williams said. “Everybody is responsible for what they do on the field. It’s something that I was responsible for and I made a mistake and it’s time to own up to it and move forward.”

Williams’ trouble began when he got too close to Steve Weatherford’s bouncing punt in the fourth quarter, letting it hit his leg. Devin Thomas recovered for the Giants at the San Francisco 29-year-line and set up Eli Manning’s touchdown pass to Mario Manningham that gave the Giants a 17-14 lead.

In overtime, Williams fielded another Weatherford punt, but failed to secure it and Jacquian Williams knocked it loose, with Thomas recovering again.

The elder Williams, asked if he was disappointed in the fans’ reaction, said, “It doesn’t matter what I think, I can’t change it. The only way to change it is to go into another occupation if you can’t deal with it.”

Williams’ teammates are on his side, too, along with others from around the NFL who have called in support after San Francisco’ season ended.

Kicker David Akers took to Twitter on Monday asking people to stop with the harsh remarks directed toward his teammate, saying “ppl need to get a grip! Leave Kyle alone!” He also reminded everybody the NFC West-champion 49ers (14-4) win and lose together, so there would be no finger-pointing in the locker room.

“I’m irritated with the way people are treating him, absolutely,” Akers said. “I think it’s ridiculous. You know, get a grip on what life’s about. He went out and he put his soul out there. That’s what he does. He was not trying to do anything other than make an incredible play for this team. He had a great kickoff return. Mistakes happen. We all make mistakes. But when you’re out there truly battling to do the best you can, my hat goes off to him, to anybody that does that.”

Many of the 49ers spent the time after the game and into Monday thinking about the missed chances, and not just by Williams.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” coach Jim Harbaugh said of players supporting Williams. “This is a class bunch of guys, a class group, a class team. They have never been a finger-pointing group.”

Kenny Williams said Kyle was undergoing treatment Monday for an unspecified shoulder injury.

“He thinks he may have separated his shoulder in the third quarter so he is in the training room,” Kenny Williams said. “That information he has not said anything about publicly and will not because he felt strongly that he could get the job done. There are no excuses; we don’t do that. I don’t want that misconstrued.”

With AP