The back injury suffered by Denzel Ward in Thursday’s preseason game is not as bad for the Cleveland Browns rookie as originally feared. Gregg Williams hopes it serves as a wake-up call.
Williams was initially asked how relieved he was that Ward’s injury (which you can read about here) was not serious before then turning his attention to Ward’s tackling.
“I was glad to hear (it wasn’t serious),” Williams said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Maybe he’ll finally listen to me and stop doing those stupid things the way he’s trying to tackle, and tackle the way I tell him to tackle, and he won’t get hurt.”
That’s certainly not the most sympathetic tone we’ve ever heard. Although, it is very much in Williams’ style.
The wording could have been better, especially in public. That said, in this case Williams isn’t wrong.
Ward was hurt when he tried to tackle the much bigger Zach Ertz. He wrapped Ertz up low and then fell back awkwardly in bringing the 250-pound tight end to the ground, twisting his back in the process.