Bengals DB Shawn Williams doesn’t know how he was supposed to hit Andrew Luck

Shawn Williams made an egregious hit on Andrew Luck on Sunday that led to an ejection, and rightfully so.

Don’t tell Shawn Williams that.

The Bengals safety spoke with the media Monday following his controversial hit on Luck during Sunday’s 34-23 win over the Colts. While the helmet to helmet hit on a defenseless Luck was clearly illegal, Williams doesn’t know what he was supposed to do differently.

Williams also had this to say about this hit:

“I don’t know if they want you to know what Andrew Luck is going to do. I don’t know what he’s going to do. If it was up to me, he should slide and give himself up earlier, but he didn’t.

“I understand he’s trying to get the first down, and it’s a big game, and he was trying to do what he was coached to do, and I was trying to do what I am coached to do, which is to stop him from getting the first down on third down. He was aware of where the sticks were, and it was obvious he wasn’t giving himself up, that he was going to be tackled. It was unfortunate for me that the contact was to the head with my shoulder. It was just unfortunate.”

While Williams is right about Luck trying to get the first down, he was also already being tackled and brought to the ground by Michael Johnson. The hit, which you can see here, was completely unnecessary and very dangerous. Luck was already on the ground and wasn’t going to go any further.

If the NFL is considering a suspension for this hit, hearing Williams essentially say he doesn’t know what he did wrong is not going to help his case. Hopefully, Williams learns from his mistake and doesn’t let it happen again.