Kyle Williams spoke today outside of the 49ers locker room in Santa Clara. If you’d like to read the entire transcript of what he said, you can read it over at Matt Barrows’ blog.
Williams addressed his two lost fumbles against the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game. He said he’s put them behind him because he’s focused on the upcoming season and his teammates have supported him.
He addressed concussions, of which he’s had four. He says he feels “great” and he feels like himself again, and he accepts the risks of playing pro football. “When you sign up, you know what you’re getting into,” he said.
He also said he’s worked out harder than ever this offseason: “The same type of stuff, but the volume has definitely been turned up and it’s been very rigorous. I’m pushing myself to get an edge – that’s what it takes.”
I admire a guy who doesn’t go in the tank after he screws the pooch. I can imagine him working like a madman in the offseason to keep his mind positive and productive.
I can imagine him having a huge training camp – running neck-and-neck with first round draft pick A.J. Jenkins and making a strong case for the final roster spot.
I’m pulling for him – I freely admit that.
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Best wishes for the kid. He’s motivated enough for having a great season.
He will be a decent wr but don’t ever put him back there to return a punt again. He did the same thing his last game in college and it directly led to their Arizona rival winning the game? He will most likely be our # 5 wr with ginn as the final one.
If the niners only keep 5 Williams is gone
Hard work is great, but I think Kyle needs better judgement. Let’s hope that he’s learned from his past mistakes and is wiser. Nonetheless, I don’t see him making the team. Go Owusu :)
Yeah, he’s a bigger version of Williams. Same amount of concussions, so why not gamble on the guy with more upside.
Whether he makes the team or not, the way he has handled this adversity is admirable.
I agree, Jack. I’m still pissed at his stupidity, but he could have gone any number of ways with his reaction, and he’s chosen to be low-key, humble, and a man. There’s a lot to respect there.
He fumbled 3 times AND dove to catch a punt.
Seemed like bad judgement on all those plays. Over aggressive? Trying too hard to make a play? Whatever.
The Vietnamese culture has a word that translate to: past enough.
For some Vietnamese who I’ve talked to, a lot of bad things that happened are “past enough”. Its a grown-up concept. Maybe we fans should consider adopting it in regards to Kyle. ?
If he makes Coach Harbaugh’s squad; he’s my guy. One of ‘em, but not least among them. All equal. All for one, one for all. Gung Ho!
Thanks for that little cultural lesson, Bro. Past enough. Very interesting concept.
Instead of bashing KW, lets talk about valuable coaching experience. Do you think Harbaugh will every make the same mistake again?
Put a young player in that position in a game of that magnitude?
Continue to leave him in after his first fumble? Leave him in again after dangerously diving for a punt?
Continue to leave him in after misreading a ball and not moving away from it after it bounced?
I’m a huge Harbaugh fan but the KW think is just as much on him as it is on KW IMO.
Absolutely agree, Bay. Grant ran a blog recently about improvements to the team. My thought was, the Coaches can improve, too, and this is one very good example of how.
@bay, Rusty:
I am curious. I understand why you think that Harbaugh made a mistake leaving Williams in the game, but I don’t know what alternative he had. Who else on the roster had experience fielding punts in 2011? Who else had practiced fielding punts? Who exactly should Harbaugh have thrown out there in Williams’ place?
Claude,
He could have done 2 things:
1. Instruct Williams to be safe and fair catch everything. (like Coughlin did with his returner)
2. Not put anyone back and just come after the punt.
Obviously #1 is the better choice because you don’t have to worry about a great roll leading to a complete flip in field position.
@Jack:
Instruct Williams to be safe and fair catch everything. (like Coughlin did with his returner)
Coughlin did what? According to the box score, the Giants returned 6 of Andy Lee’s 10 punts in that game.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=320122025
Williams’ returned 8 of Weatherford’s 12 punts.
I did not realize that the Giants punted 2 more times than did the 49ers.
Jack, I thought Claude was addressing Bay and Rusty?!! You are answering for them now?!!
Claude,
I could be wrong, but I though that was brought up by the announcers in the booth late in the game. Blackmon had a slight mishandle on one, and when he came to the sideline they mentioned that it looked as though he did that. Again, maybe I didn’t hear them correctly.
That does not change the fact that once it became noticeable that Williams was having trouble, Harbaugh could have easily instructed him to just wave fair catch, and concentrate on ball security.
He was Hofer, but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents although no one asked. Sorry if it bothered you.
All arrows up!!
@Hofer:
I have no problem with Jack answering the question. I addressed the question to bay and Rusty (and ninermd earlier) only because they apparently have thought through the issue, place some of the responsibility on Harbaugh and probably already have an answer in mind. That said, I appreciate that anyone would take the time to provide me with an answer.
Why does it trouble you that Jack responded?
Slow day and no drama. I’m just messing with JHam. We have istory dating back to when we first started responding to each other. All good! lol
I’m just waiting for the 49ers to cut him so he can go where he belongs. The NY Football Giants’ MVP belongs in New Jersey.
Did the Giants give him an honorary ring?
Nobody is perfect. Cut the kid some slack.
I think the kid will be cut but props in the way he handles adversity I blame the coach in keeping in their.
I hope he sticks around, but if he gets cut he’ll be a good asset to whoever grabs him. Maybe Washington? They need some speed since Morgan, Garcon and Moss won’t be providing it.
I’m trying to think thru the probable depth chart after summer camp, and my guess currently is that Kyle will be #5. He’s got the experience over Jenkins and Owusu/Palmer/etc., but if Trent’s got it right (& his track record lately aint too bad), then Jenkins has a first step that Kyle doesn’t, and will be that half step ahead even as a rookie. Kyle is an NFL backup WR; just maybe not here if our team has improved.
Owusu’s best chance this year, imo, is to beat out Ginn for the return job; otherwise its probably practice squad. There’s other players in the return game too: LaMichael & Perrish Cox to name a couple.
Palmer is a wild card to me right now; too early to rule him out of the final mix; wayyyyy too early to predict him in.
TB spoke quite glowingly of KW shortly after the season. He spoke less glowingly of MC.
JH says nicer things about the players more often. Just as did last year with AS, and as he is this year with MC. TB is much colder than JH. He’s not necessarily right or wrong. Just his personality.
DS, I thought this thread was about Kyle Williams?
Another ‘cheap shot’ at Crabtree huh?
Aren’t you the same person who admonishes us not to jump off subject when the blog is about a player not involving AS?
Well, this topic is about KW!
I know you will reply in kind, but you always do this to yourself.
Relaying what TB said about KW as well you know.
Don’t like it. Change your team. Or don’t read my posts.
You get mad, that is your reaction. Only you can deal with it. You missed the entire point of the post anyway.
Brotha,
If it comes down to Jenkins and Williams for the last spot, it will go to Jenkins for if no other reason than he was the 1st round draft pick.
Williams is facing a real uphill battle to make this team. His only real hope is that things don’t pan out as projected with Moss or another receiver gets hurt in preseason.
@ Jack
I agree about Jenkins over KW even if Jenkins was a second or third rounder. As Grant said a few days ago, Kyle could outplay Jenkins in camp and still not make the team. He might make it as #5, but that may depend on TG Jr’s role. Kyle is competing and auditioning; I think he’ll be on an NFL roster. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if John Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome are hoping SF cuts Kyle so they can grab him; they could use the depth at WR.
K.Williams made mistakes in the most important game this team has had in 10 years. But if he can put it behind him so can I. None of us can go back and revise history, if we could I’m sure there would be things we would love to make right.
I’m glad the Org feels highly enough of KW to give him an opportunity to demonstrate that belongs.
Kudos to the Org and kudos to KW.
KW is not the sole reason the Niners lost to the Giants. It’s never just one or two plays. The offense and defense had their fingerprints on the loss too.
Gotta like the fact that he’s man enough to accept his part of the blame and move forward.
Word a lot of people forget the 3 points we lost when VD jumped on honey back. The 7 points we lost when Alex overthrew kyle. The 1 catch by a receiver when they just let him catch the ball, the fumble with 2 minutes left that the refs called Howard progress only after he fumbled. If Alex makes that throw nobody cares. In total that a 16 point swing which would’ve never resulted in Ot. Throw the incredible retirn he did have that resulted in 0 points. Well we know what have to do now!!! GO NINERS!!!!
I hate auto correct
To me, it was that we didn’t get any TO’s. This team won their games last year, not due to a highly prolific passing attack by hitting the big play (AS miss of KW, even though he did hit VD 2x deep), or being effecient on 3rd down (we never did), but because we got TO’s. Our D created opportunities (as we did against the Giants) and took advantage of them (we didn’t).
That game was just like our season for the most part. The 2 major things missing:
Our D not taking advantage of getting that TO (DG hitting both our starting CB taking TB out of the game) and us giving away 2 TO’s. Though both were on the ST, not the offense.
That’s why we lost.
BS, I mean DS,
Only an idiot would rely on getting turnovers to win football games.Teams go into football games with the intention of not turning the ball over. Youre the idiot that thinks theNiners can count on turnoverseverygame. It’s not reality. If offenses were as conservative as ours, they wouldnt turn the ball over very often either.
You sound supremely stupid, continually saying that Goldson knocked TB out of the game. It was an accident whole trying to make a play. That what free safeties do. They make plays. They dont wait for cornerbacks to do so. Goldson had 6 picks last year. We don’t even know if TB would’ve held on to the interception anyway.
On another note. I will never accept the fact that KW didn’t try to recover the ball that hit his knee. He ran away from it instead. It doesn’t matter. There’s no way he makes this team anyway. The game was and is too big for him.
Welcher boy makes an appeanace! And in his first post, hates on somebody.
To bad there is no BS. You really are stupid though. Keep writing to somebody who isn’t even here.
For Mr. DS94everXev: it’s appearance not appenis.
razor
Do a word search for what you wrote. It only shows1 find. Your own. Thanks for letting us all know what you’re thinking.
If you were trying to point out a typo of mine, you have one of your own.
KW is showing his True Character for not only Owning his mistakes back in January but using it as fuel.
I think he’s got some Serious Stones for not shying away from that Championship Game & I for one look forward to him redeeming himself this Season.
I’ve always liked KW but I fear the only way for the team and for Kyle to truely put his mistakes against the Giants behind them is for him to find another team. All the writers and all the fans have basically said there were no WR’s helping out Alex all year last year. If that’s true, then losing KW won’t be a huge impact on next year’s team. KW could go to a team like the Texans or maybe even the Seahawks and make a much bigger impact than he could possibly hope for on next year’s 9ers team.
I can respect him but I sure as hell do not trust him to ever field punt returns again. I just do not think this kid makes the roster cuts come September.
>>running neck-and-neck with first round draft pick A.J. Jenkins and making a strong case for the final roster spot.
Really. Grant, do you think possible a first round pick won’t make the roster? I know, given your emotional investment, you are still hurting over the Fleener bypass, but… really????
I think it more likley that Grant makes the team than Jenkins not.
@ribico
It took me a few times of reading it over, but I don’t think that your interpretation is what Grant meant.
I think he meant that KW may take some snaps away from Jenkins if he outperforms him in camp and that if KW does show to be as good as Jenkins is right now, KW gets the last WR spot.
Although I have no idea how Grant is determining who has which spot right now. The coaches don’t even know that. It may be somebody we don’t even know or have who takes it.
“… if KW does show to be as good as Jenkins is right now, KW gets the last WR spot.”
There is no chance Williams gets a WR spot at the expense of Jenkins.
Ribico is correct, it is more likely Grant makes the team…
Don’t count me out – I’m in the best shape of my life.
DS, Grant clearly said last roster spot.
@ribico
That makes no sense at all though. Nevermind who Grant wanted. How many 1st round picks don’t make their team in their rookie year in NFL history?
Chances are not many.
>>That makes no sense at all though.
Agreed. Thats why I made the comment. Perhaps I misread Grant’s intent – KW is fighting for the last spot, A.J is not – maybe he can elaborate.
@Grant
Are you saying that the Niners dump their first round draft pick if KW plays better than him?
I sincerely hope that is not what you meant.
No, of course not.
I’m saying if Kyle Williams outperforms A.J. Jenkins in training camp, that would be a strong case for him to make the team along with Jenkins.
Thanks.
Grant,
Do you really think the 49ers will carry 6 WR’s?
Probably not, but I’d like to think Williams will push the issue.
It should be great competition. There are going to be fierce battles for those last spots at almost every position this year. Should make for some interesting storylines for you to work with.
ribicio,
You are clearly making incorrect assumptions. Grant did not say that Jenkins and Williams would be fighting for the last roster spot with the loser to be cut. He said KW will be fighting with Jenkins for playing time. If he can convince the coaches that he should get snaps over Jenkins then Williams makes the team as the last receiver. Jenkins will make the team regardless of this battle. This battle will also determine how many WR’s the team keeps in total.
Thanks Grant.
Man, what a change from previous years – the possiblity that *very good* players might not be able to crack the team.
Yes Houston, I see now.
Just wondering. Has KW ever admitted to that ball bouncing off his knee? He denied it after the game. He doesn’t mention it in Barrows piece. He needs to fully come to grips with that before he can move on, IMO.
Ribi, given the way the human mind works, I’d be confident that KW does NOT believe the ball hit him. It’s an ego protection thing, and as with all defense mechanisms, it serves a good purpose. Sounds like he’s doing his best to move on…healthy outlook.
I don’t think it matters whether he thinks it hit him or not. What he has done is admit that he should not have put himself in that situation in the first place.
That is what he did wrong. And that is what he admitted to have done.
Rusty, to tell the truth I didn’t think it hit him at first either ;) And neither did the refs.
I’m more concerned for KW’ health than his ability to perform. KW made some very nice receptions last season. He has the ability to find the seam and make the catch.
I really admire the strength it takes to overcome adversity.
The real issue, IMO, is NOT, NOT, NOT what happend last year. It’s this season that counts.
It will come down, IMO, to KW & Owasu. Both fast and BOTH w/ a history of concussions. This concussion issue with all the lawsuits pileing up is going to grow in importance and relevance to personell decisions.
Right now, just guessing, KW makes the roster and will NEVER get punt return priviledges.
BYE KYLE!!! 2nd 3rd 4th chances are great if your watching the Brady Bunch. We all want a championship not a Dr phil award. He had one good game in my opinion and thats it. Let him move on people. I think were deep enough at wide out now. Sometimes when you love em you have to let go.
NINERS!!!!
For some reason, this reminds me of a Homer Simpson line:
“Please, PLEASE give me just ONE MORE LAST CHANCE!”
We’ll see, Kyle.
If KW was going to be cut for any of the reasons you all think he should be then it would have happened by now. If he does inevitably get cut it wont have anything to do with what happened in the Championship game.
@Grant
Who do you think will make the 53 man roster, and PS??
If KW goes to the practice squad, I am more certain that he is picked up by another team than the undrafted kid from Stanford (forget his name right now) would be.
KW has NFL tape for teams to look at. The rookies do not.
BS, I mean DS,
Do you understand why you don’t need to be on this blog???? I keep telling you that you need a class in football 101. Kyle Williams was on the roster and active all year last year.Do thou know that he has no more practice squad eligibility??? You vying down the level of football intelligence on this blog. You kill me!! How stupid can you be?
Everyone on this blog knows that KW cant go onto the practice squad except you. That’s BS on DS again
StopDSXEVRFH123456788!!!!!
Hey Sgt. Grant did that earlier this month. Here is a link to that blog.
http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/2012/05/inside-the-49ers/predicting-the-49ers-53-man-roster-and-depth-chart/
I had read that article, was wanting to see if it had changed. And to see who he sees on the PS
KW has a lot of character and seems to be a solid person. The championship game was a big stage and the pressure can be intense as we know. Some athletes go with the flow and play their game. Others try to do too much and be the hero. Sometimes it backfires. In KW’s case, he was trying to make amends for his earlier mistake and it ultimately cost the 9ers the game. If we were all fired for making mistakes the workforce would be paper thin. Let him prove his value by first making the team and then not looking back.
No Name:
“Let him move on people. I think were deep enough at wide out now. Sometimes when you love em you have to let go.
NINERS!!!!”
So when you say ‘let him move on’ are you infering that he should walk off the team on his own? If the guy still feels he has a chance to make the team who are you to say he needs to move on.
Now, if he fails to make the team during training camp, i’ll be the first to say good bye and good luck. Not attached to any player on the team. May the best players PLAY!
Kyle is a good WR. He’s shown great potential as a WR. I think the Niners will go with 6 WR and keep him as #5. Ginn will be #6 and used primarily for kick and punt returns. I think they keep Owusu and place him on the practice squad for a year and let him recover from the concussions he sustained his senior year. Ginn and Moss only have one year contracts. Niner’s don’t resign either next year. Owusu, if healthy, will move up from practice squad. Kyle probably won’t be returning kicks/punts. Niners have some potential depth in that area with LaMichael James, AJ Jenkins and Perrish Cox. I like Kyle as a WR and would like to see him remain with the Niners.
Last time I looked football is a team game. You win and lose as a team. KW made his mistakes but he isnt the only one who made mistakes in that game or in any other game. If KW is good enough to make this team, love to have him, if he isnt so be it.
No undercenter
It is a team game if a player you don’t like does very well and your team wins. If the player you don’t like does poorly, then it is an individual game and it is that players fault for the loss.
(sarcasm)
sarcasm well noted.
Sure. Tell that to Buckner. I’m sure his team mates will truly take that error.
NFC Championship Game Prediction:
Eagles vs 49ers
SuperBowl:
49ers vs Ravens
49ers win SB
My bigger point is to illustrate that I think the Eagles are going to be damn good this year, maybe second or third best team in the NFC.
I don’t think Vick can do it. Takes way to many risks with the ball.
Vick is the opposite of AS. Eagles lost about the same number of games when they had the lead in the 4th quarter that the Niners won being down in the 4th quarter.
People point the blame at the defense in Philly. Well Vick made a ton of mistakes himself and didn’t make plays come crunch time.
That would be an awesome way to end 2012 Hank.
Hope you are correct.
Me too.
Me three!
Me… D’oh!
Interesting to see how the two conferences vie for superiority. From 1998 through 2007 the AFC won 8 of the 10 SuperBowls but yet have only one 1 out of the past 5. These periods were preceded by the NFC having won 13 straight SuperBowls after only winning 6 of the original 18 games played.
Hank,
There are definitely periods where each conference has superiority, and that has swung back to the NFC lately.
Just a shot in the dark, but maybe it has to do with the way the draft and schedules are set up in the NFL. The weaker teams get the higher draft picks, and over time the weaker conference catches up.
I’m certain that is part of the answer but to play devil’s advocate; since equal number of teams from both conferences enter the tournament resulting in a representative from both sides playing in the final game I don’t know that lower draft picks would necessarily swing the SB win percentage towards one side or the other. The winner of the superbowl only picks one spot lower then the loser and both conferences have an equal amount of teams with lower picks the next year so again although I don’t actually disagree it might not have something to do with it I’m just not sure how it does.
I dont care what kind of work this clown put in, I hope he’s cut and never seen anywhere near a niner uniform again! Get outta here dude..not needed and not wanted.
Lost in all of this discussion about a WR who won’t even make the team is the 6 year contract extension given to one of the MVP’s of the
Offense in 2011.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2012/05/49ers-to-sign-p-andy-lee-to-contract-extension.html
Other than the most important game, he had a mvp performance.
Thanks for linking that, Jack.
You’re welcome. Sorry if I jumped the gun on you. Thought you might be too busy down in Santa Clara.
Now you are GC’s assistant. LMAO!!
One can dream Hofer ; )
How in the hell is Mr. Marathe going to sign Mr. Bowman? If he can get that done then he is a contract god.
Razor,
These guys finally have a plan in place so I would bet they already have that plan in place.
Also, by time Bowmans contract comes up Crabtree will be coming off the books with his high number, along with Manningham, and there are a number of other things that could transpire.
I like your logic, but the underlying issue will be does Mr. Bowman want to be paid more than Mr. Willis? If that is the case then the deal will not get done no matter the financial options.
You are correct on that Razor. With this regime I am confident they will have someone ready to step in if it comes to that.
145 tackles? I’d sure really, really hate to see him leave. Especially if its Dallas.
Reportedly, the problem is the 49ers don’t want to give Bowman a contract that pays him more than Willis.
If that is the issue, then this is the year to re-sign Bowman. They won’t be able to do it next year.
Claude, “Reportedly, the problem is the 49ers don’t want to give Bowman a contract that pays him more than Willis.”
Where did you see that?
@Jack:
Matt Barrows mentions it at the end of his blog entry on the extension of Andy Lee, but I also remember reading it previously on another blog.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2012/05/49ers-to-sign-p-andy-lee-to-contract-extension.html
Of course, the 49ers also have to decide how much money/cap room they want spend at the ILB position. Devoting too many dollars to that position may mean the team cannot sign/re-sign players at big money positions (QB, CB, OLB, DE, OL). It may not be wise to sign both Willis and Bowman to big contracts.
In fact, the smart move may be to trade Bowman after the 2012 season, assuming the team can get somebody to pony up the appropriate combination of players/draft picks.
Looking back at the last 20-30 years, how many teams with the best MLB’s in the NFL have won Super Bowls next to the teams with the best OLB’s in the NFL?
For as good as Singletary was and Ray Lewis has been (maybe 2 best ever), they only have 2 Super Bowls combined between them. How many does LT all by himself have?
It is more important to be strong outside than it is inside. Now you can’t suck inside, but outside play is more important than inside play.
I think KW is a good kid, and it was his individual fault for the fumbles,BUT I don’t hear anything about the coaching decision to leave him in there after the game got bigger by the moment. That was the second poor decision that cost the team a game. Dallas being the other. I’m confident JH will learn from these mistakes.
Agreed. The coaches really do deserve a large part of the blame – though they didn’t have many options. They’re experienced enough to have seen that the kid was overwhelmed. Either pull him or tell him to let the punt roll.
@ninermd:
You are not the only person who has suggested that the coaches made a mistake in leaving Williams in the game as the PR. Whom do you think the coaches should have sent out to return punts?
Claude/md
I think it was old coach who said we should have gone without a returner. Just try to block it.
Maybe wrong on who said it.
Of course, there are no guarantees Moss or Manningham will make the final roster. Williams had a couple stellar games last season and looked like a receiver on the rise. It would be unfortunate to lose him but he wouldn’t be the first decent receiver the team has had to let go. Brandon Lloyd comes to mind. Perhaps the stigma of those dropped punts is what that young man needs to get moved to a team that can start him.
For what it is worth, I’ll guarantee that Mr. Moss and Mr. Manningham make the team.
I wish the guy the best and that he makes the team. It’s a shame what happended last year but he will learn from it and over deliver this year as a result of it. Naturally only if the team gives him a shot.
r i g h t, wink- nod
Kyle,
Way to handle adversity. You’re a stand-up guy. Regardless of what happened last January, I think anyone worth asking thinks pretty highly of how you’ve handled the whole thing. Good luck and the vast majority are rooting for you to make our team and come out shining.
Me Too! With a leader like Harbaugh you don’t get worse you get better or you are gone