Marcus Williams (American football)
Encyclopedia
Marcus Williams is a former backup tight end
for the Oakland Raiders
who was forced to retire in 2003 after teammate Bill Romanowski
broke his eye socket with a punch.
and Jerry Rice
, who had played with Romanowski, said that he had "crossed the line" in an admittedly violent sport. Williams was awarded $340,000. Though this was only a tenth of what he sought, Williams said that it was not really about the money but that he and his attorneys "just wanted to prove what was right and wrong about football."
The defendant's attorney, Jeffrey Springer, stated that Williams' case was "like when someone tried to sue McDonald's for serving them dangerously hot coffee." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/23/ROMO.TMP
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
who was forced to retire in 2003 after teammate Bill Romanowski
Bill Romanowski
William Thomas "Bill" Romanowski is a former American football player. He was born in Vernon, Connecticut. A linebacker, he graduated from Rockville High School in 1984, Boston College in 1988 , and then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, playing for the San Francisco 49ers , Philadelphia...
broke his eye socket with a punch.
Lawsuit
Bill Romanowski had a history of getting out of hand on the field. Williams took him to court seeking $3.4 million. Ronnie LottRonnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American football player who starred as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in college football and the NFL. He is most well known for his crushing hits on opposing players...
and Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, who had played with Romanowski, said that he had "crossed the line" in an admittedly violent sport. Williams was awarded $340,000. Though this was only a tenth of what he sought, Williams said that it was not really about the money but that he and his attorneys "just wanted to prove what was right and wrong about football."
The defendant's attorney, Jeffrey Springer, stated that Williams' case was "like when someone tried to sue McDonald's for serving them dangerously hot coffee." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/23/ROMO.TMP
External links
- Marcus Williams' profile from Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...