Minnesota Vikings' Pat Williams is fighting for his reputation

Minnesota Vikings' Pat Williams is fighting for his reputation
December 20
St. Paul Pioneer Press
"Vikings Pro Bowl defensive tackle Pat Williams insisted he won't back down in his battle against a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's steroids and related substances policy.

There's more than $940,000 in salary at stake.

There's his reputation.

"I earned that," said Williams, an undrafted free agent who was just named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl team. "I earned that respect from everybody else. Nobody gave me nothing.

"I earned all my credibility."

Williams made a name for himself on the football field, but he has become one of the central figures in a publicized battle against the NFL.

Williams and teammate Kevin Williams took action against the NFL shortly after they were suspended on Dec. 2 by the league for testing positive for the banned diuretic bumetanide in training camp. The NFL Players Association filed a suit on behalf of the Williamses and three New Orleans Saints, and a federal judge extended an injunction against the NFL's suspension into at least next week.

"It don't bother me at all. It never bothered me. I always knew I was innocent, and I didn't do anything wrong. If I did something wrong, I would have took it," Pat Williams said. "But the only thing that kept bothering me is my daughters calling me every day saying, 'Daddy, Daddy, they're saying this, they're saying that.' I would tell them, 'Baby, it ain't you all's problem. Don't worry about it. Whatever they tell you, don't worry about it.'

"But they're in high school, and my girls are like me. They'll say something back to hurt your feelings."

His daughters, Alesha and Crystal, both honor roll students, have not gotten into any trouble.

"But kids hurt their feelings," he said.

Pat Williams said his situation is different from other players', including Kevin Williams, because his daughters are much older.

Pat Williams said he is bothered by the questions he inevitably has to field from students with whom he interacts in community service projects in Minnesota and his home state of Louisiana.

But he is keeping his spirits up, even though he is going to miss a game he has looked forward to. Williams has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, who have the league's top rushing offense, because of a broken scapula in his right shoulder. "

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