D.J. Williams meets with NFL about further discipline

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams had an appeal hearing with the NFL on Wednesday in New York regarding his recent conviction on a driving while ability impaired charge, according to multiple league sources.

Williams, 30, is likely to receive an additional two- to three-game suspension, according to the sources, on top of the six-game suspension he now is serving for violating the NFL's performance enhancement policy.

Last week, the NFL levied a three-game suspension against San Francisco 49ers linebacker and former Colorado State star Clark Haggans for a DUI conviction, his second such offense as an NFL player.

Williams also is a repeat offender; he was arrested on a DUI charge in Douglas County during the 2005 season.

Williams tweeted a picture of himself in formal attire while walking in downtown New York on Wednesday.

A starting linebacker since he was the Broncos' first-round draft pick in 2004, Williams was found guilty by a Denver jury on Aug. 15 on a charge stemming from an incident in which he drove away from a downtown nightclub with his lights off at 3 a.m. on Nov. 12, 2010.

At the time of his trial, Williams had already received the six-game suspension for providing a "non-human" urine sample during a drug test following the league's 2011 lockout.

Williams has sued the NFL multiple times for its finding, but the first two courts dismissed his case without a hearing. His appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court has not yet been addressed.

The Broncos are 1-2 without Williams this season, losing to Atlanta and Houston after beating Pittsburgh in the opening game.

He will not play in the Broncos' upcoming games Sunday at home against Oakland, Oct. 7 at New England and Oct. 15 at San Diego.

If he is suspended three more games, Williams would also miss a home game against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, plus road games against Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals and against the Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers.

The Broncos can't take any action against Williams while he is on the team's reserve-suspended list.


(denverpost.com)