There are two sides to any story, and the Trent Williams situation with the Washington Redskins is no exception.
You all know the public story that Williams claims: In 2019, he held out from the team after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, causing a growth on his scalp that had been brushed off by the team’s medical staff for years before it was nearly too late. After having it removed, Williams stated a distrust with the Redskins medical staff, and Team President Bruce Allen, stating that he would never play for Washington again.
While many people believe this version of the story to be true, with evidence like the team firing Allen and head trainer Larry Hess following the 2019 season, there are some who think there are details being left out. Former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, for one, thinks that Williams’ non-guaranteed contract played a major factor in the holdout, rather than just the distrust with the organization.
“Now, he said it wasn’t about money,” Theismann said, via the Redskins Talk podcast. “It’s always about money.”
Williams entered the 2019 season with two years left on his contract, but none of the money he was set to earn was guaranteed. As he saw it, the Redskins could cut him at any time without ramifications — something that was discouraging given his injury history.
Now, going forward, there is still a path for the Redskins to rekindle their relationship with Williams. With Allen and Hess out of the building, and new head coach Ron Rivera stating that the 31-year-old left tackle is “still our guy,” a reunion between the two parties is viable for the 2020 season.
Of course, if both sides are to work out an agreement going forward, it will absolutely be about the money.
