‘I regret my decision’: Riders DB Deontai Williams meets with CFL after ejection

Deontai Williams regrets how he ended the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ last game.

The defensive back appeared to pick up Ottawa Redblacks receiver Kalil Pimpleton and slammed him head first into the ground with just six seconds left in the game — a 29-16 Saskatchewan win.

Williams was given a 25-yard penalty and ejected from the game after the hit.

On Tuesday, he had a meeting with the CFL as the league decides what sort of punishment could be on the way for the player.

“I told (the league) I regret my decision and I apologized to Pimpleton. We talked in the morning — we emailed and stuff like that — and I told them that I’m never that guy to try and get in the way of him trying to feed his family,” Williams said.

“Explaining the situation (to him) of how it happened — I was saying your head was down and you was low and I tried to get under you but I couldn’t so it ended up looking bad of me slamming you into to ground and him ending up falling on your neck. Stuff like that.”

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Williams said he appreciates Pimpleton was open to an apology and discussing the incident.

“That means he’s very professional and he understands football is football — it’s a contact sport,” Williams said.

“I was just trying to get him down. For him to forgive me and give me a Bible verse after, that speaks a lot on him and how great of a man he is.”

As Williams was leaving the field, he was making gestures to the fans telling them to get loud after the game. It brought back flashbacks to when the Riders and Redblacks met in 2022 when defensive lineman Garrett Marino had been ejected from the game after an injury to quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and also gestured for the fans to get loud as he was heading to the tunnel.

Williams said he wasn’t asking for cheers for what had just transpired.

“Pumping up the crowd was we got the win,” Williams said. “I’m pumping up the crowd we are 2-0 after (the winless) streak we had so that was the pumping up the crowd moment. The pumping up the crowd moment was we were winning.”

Head coach Corey Mace also spoke to Williams the day after the game.

“It was just, ‘man, you hurt yourself, kid. You have to be smarter than that. You know we don’t teach that type of tackling but I know your intention was never to hurt Pimpleton’,” Williams said.

“He was just telling me to stay up, stay focused, go through the process and we have your back.”

Mace said he also spoke to the team about the incident.

“With that tackle, I believe (Williams) could have gone about it a different way, but the melee and all that stuff that happened after, that’s not what we talk about and exactly everything we are trying to get away from,” Mace said.

“Another opportunity for us to learn in a situation like that, and just learning to win with a little more class.”

If Williams plays this week remains up in the air as the CFL decides on a punishment.

“I hope (to play). It’s my birthday week,” said Williams, who turns 28 on Oct. 4.

“It’s birthday week and I’m getting all these types of threats from fans I’m going through right now but with it my birthday week, I’m trying to enjoy the moment … If I play, I play. If I don’t, it is what it is. I regret my decision and my intent was never to try and hurt him out there.”

Good and bad news in Riders injury update

As the Riders returned to practice, there was good and bad news when it came to the Riders’ injury front.

Shawn Bane Jr. (knee) didn’t practise after being injured in the game. Mace said, “It’s not looking the greatest.” Jerreth Sterns was running with the starters in his place.

Running back Ryquell Armstead (shoulder) didn’t participate but Mace didn’t appear to be worried about it being a long-term injury. While running back AJ Ouellette (hip) was limited in practice, it looks like Frankie Hickson would get the start if Armstead couldn’t go.

Punter Adam Korsak (hamstring), defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado (knee), offensive guard Jacob Brammer (knee) also didn’t practise.

Receiver Mitch Picton (ankle) was limited in practice and appears close to helping with the team’s Canadian receiver talent.

Read more

• VIDEO: Huskies athletes put personal spin on pre-game land acknowledgements
• Hilltops clinch first in PFC with 36-11 victory over Thunder