One week after a 44-22 thrashing of the Washington Commanders, the Dallas Cowboys watched their momentum vanish in a 44-24 loss to the Denver Broncos. What was given in Week 8 was taken back in Week 9—with interest.
“The blame starts at the top in the front office and trickles down to the coaching staff,” wrote The Landry Hat commentator Maitland Rutledge. “However, players who were on the field that afternoon failed to execute and deserve to be held accountable.”
No player may face harsher accountability than fourth-year edge rusher Sam Williams, a repeat offender in the eyes of both the Cowboys and the NFL.
With 3:47 left in the second quarter and Denver leading 20-10, Broncos running back RJ Harvey plunged in from one yard out. On the ensuing play, Williams escalated a post-whistle skirmish with left tackle Garrett Bolles, swinging at the veteran’s face mask.
The flag flew: unnecessary roughness. Enforced on the extra-point attempt, the penalty pushed Denver inside the 2-yard line—prompting a two-point try that ultimately failed.
The incident marks Williams’ fourth penalty of 2025 and the 16th of his three-year career. In 2023 alone he racked up eight flags, including:
- Face mask
- Roughing the kicker
- Running into the kicker
- Fair-catch interference
Worse, the swing at Bolles could be classified as a second face-mask violation. On October 4, Williams was fined $11,002 for yanking Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love’s face mask in Week 4.
Per the NFL’s 2025 fine schedule, a second-offense face-mask penalty carries a $17,389 hit—money that would come straight out of Williams’ $1.6 million base salary.
Williams is no stranger to the commissioner’s gavel. Last season, while on injured reserve, he served a three-game suspension under the Personal Conduct Policy. The ban cost him $211,807 in game checks he never had a chance to earn.
Cowboys coaches, fans, and now NFL officials are all watching. Another fine—or worse, a suspension—would cement Williams’ reputation as a liability who can’t keep his emotions off the stat sheet.
For a player already on thin ice, the axe is sharpened and ready to fall.