By Mike Fallas Edited by Mike Fallas
The Carolina Panthers have cut ties with running back DeAngelo Williams after his nine year run. Williams has not produced a 1000 yard rushing season since 2009. Williams has just come off his worst NFL season last year, with only 219 yards and no touchdowns. It was not a surprising decision by the panthers, given his age and depreciating body. Also, the relationship between DeAngelo and the Panthers organization is very fragile.
DeAngelo admitted to the media that things were getting shaky between the two after all but one of his teammates went to his mother’s funeral in Arkansas. DeAngelo’s mother was fighting cancer, but sadly lost. Williams dyed his hair pink during the NFL season in a stand for breast cancer awareness. Moreover, the situation got even worse when Panthers owner, Jerry Richardson failed to reach out to Williams until two weeks after his mother’s death. Richardson cowardly blamed the Panthers policy on how to deal with a players death in the family. However, Coach Ron Rivera and General manager Dave Gettlemen were ones to reach out to Williams. Williams jabbed at the Panthers organization explaining, “I was upset with Carolina, because the last five or six years during October, (my mom) was celebrated, but then when she was no longer here — let's move on. (I was) very disappointed. And, somewhat angry ... it stung to know that a place of business that you've worked for, you've bled, you've played through injuries, you've done everything you possibly can for this organization to be successful, and then upon your darkest hour, they let you, handle it by yourself.”
DeAngelo expressed that he doesn’t expect to return to Carolina next season and neither does his team after this controversy.
The Carolina Panthers have cut ties with running back DeAngelo Williams after his nine year run. Williams has not produced a 1000 yard rushing season since 2009. Williams has just come off his worst NFL season last year, with only 219 yards and no touchdowns. It was not a surprising decision by the panthers, given his age and depreciating body. Also, the relationship between DeAngelo and the Panthers organization is very fragile.
DeAngelo admitted to the media that things were getting shaky between the two after all but one of his teammates went to his mother’s funeral in Arkansas. DeAngelo’s mother was fighting cancer, but sadly lost. Williams dyed his hair pink during the NFL season in a stand for breast cancer awareness. Moreover, the situation got even worse when Panthers owner, Jerry Richardson failed to reach out to Williams until two weeks after his mother’s death. Richardson cowardly blamed the Panthers policy on how to deal with a players death in the family. However, Coach Ron Rivera and General manager Dave Gettlemen were ones to reach out to Williams. Williams jabbed at the Panthers organization explaining, “I was upset with Carolina, because the last five or six years during October, (my mom) was celebrated, but then when she was no longer here — let's move on. (I was) very disappointed. And, somewhat angry ... it stung to know that a place of business that you've worked for, you've bled, you've played through injuries, you've done everything you possibly can for this organization to be successful, and then upon your darkest hour, they let you, handle it by yourself.”
DeAngelo expressed that he doesn’t expect to return to Carolina next season and neither does his team after this controversy.