Riders’ Duke Williams back on the field after serving suspension

Duke Williams is apologizing to Rider Nation for how he acted prior to the Touchdown Atlantic game.

Before the July 16 game against the Toronto Argonauts in Wolfville, N.S., the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ slotback threw Argos defensive back Shaq Richardson’s helmet at him.

Williams was suspended one game by the CFL for his actions. He will return to the lineup for Friday’s game against the B.C. Lions. Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 5 p.m.

“At the end of the day, (if) you poke a bear too much, of course he’s going to be angry,” Williams said after Tuesday’s practice. “I got out of character and I was mad and I let my emotions get the best of me, which I can’t do.

“I’ve got these fans looking up to me, I’m a leader on this team and I can’t show that on the field at the end of the day. I apologize to Rider Nation; that’s not how I should carry myself and for the rest of the year, you won’t see me do anything like that.”

The Argos also accused Williams of spitting on Richardson twice.

“If you’re not a dog and you’re weak, you make up excuses; that’s what you do. That’s what he did — he made up an excuse because I dogged him out. At the end of the day, he made up an excuse. I didn’t spit on nobody,” Williams said.

The 29-year-old has caught 18 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns in the 2022 campaign.

Williams was forced to miss the rematch with the Argos, a 31-21 loss on Sunday. As Williams served his suspension, the Riders’ receiving corps also was without Jakob Prall (shoulder), Shaq Evans (ankle), Kyran Moore (knee), Mitch Picton (ankle) and Justin McInnis (illness).

McInnis and Williams rejoined the Riders’ offence at Tuesday’s practice.

The team has now lost two in a row and is sitting in fourth place in the CFL’s West Division standings.

“You’ve got to be hungry this week. We’re on a two-game losing streak and we’ve got to break that; we’ve got to get out of that habit,” Williams said.

“Adversity hit us a couple weeks in a row and we’ve got to take that adversity to the chin and if anything, let that make us stronger than what we are right now (and) let it bring us together even closer.

“Every team that beat us, we beat ourselves; I don’t think they beat us. We’ve just got to be more disciplined and play within the lines.”

NOTES: COVID is still making its way through the Riders’ locker room. Head coach Craig Dickenson said there are still players testing positive for the virus. Prall, centre Logan Bandy, fullback Albert Awachie, running back Frankie Hickson and offensive tackle Andrew Lauderdale all missed Tuesday’s practice due to an illness … Safety Mike Edem (lower leg) and linebacker Derrick Moncrief (thigh) also did not participate … Former Riders punter Jon Ryan has been traded to the Edmonton Elks by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Regina product, who signed with Hamilton on July 11, did not appear in a game for the Tiger-Cats.