Is Gregg Williams Done in the NFL? Odds Say He Won’t Have a Defensive Coordinator Job by Week 1 of 2021
- Oddsmakers believe Gregg Williams will not be a defensive coordinator when the 2021 NFL season begins
- The winless New York Jets fired Williams on Monday, a day after his controversial blitz/Cover Zero call led to a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders
- Williams was suspended by the NFL for the 2012 season over masterminding the New Orleans Saints’ “Bountygate” scandal
Gregg Williams is unemployed after being fired by the New York Jets as their defensive coordinator Monday following a controversial – and spectacularly failed – call a day earlier.
Could that be the end of the controversial Williams’ career? Oddsmaker do not like the chances of Williams being a defensive coordinator in the NFL when Week 1 of the 2021 season comes around.
Odds on Gregg Williams being a DC by 2021 NFL Season
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +220 |
| No | -290 |
Odds as of Dec. 9
A Fateful Decision
One does not have to look hard to find the reason why head coach Adam Gase decided to jettison Williams with the blessing of ownership and upper management.
Williams’ fateful decision to call a blitz with a Cover Zero in the final seconds of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders led to the Jets falling to 0-12.
The Raiders had the ball at the Jets’ 46-yard line when Williams decided to put extra pressure on quarterback Derek Carr. However, Carr beat the blitz and threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Henry Ruggs III with five seconds remaining that gave the Raiders a 31-28 victory at Met Life Stadium.
https://twitter.com/Raiders/status/1335693296220266496
Rookie cornerback Lamar Jackson never had a chance in one-on-one coverage against the speedy Ruggs.
Poof went the chances of the Jets winning their first game and increased their probability of becoming the third NFL team to go 0-16 in a season, joining the 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 Cleveland Browns.
Safety and team captain Marcus Maye openly questioned the call when talking to the media following the game. Gase also seemed dumbfounded, though, as the head coach he had the power to overrule Williams.
The next day, Williams was gone. Assistant head coach/linebackers coach Frank Bush is serving as interim defensive coordinator.
Surviving Bountygate
Williams will be forever linked with the “Bountygate” scandal during his time as the New Orleans Saints’ defensive coordinator.
For three seasons from 2009-11, Williams paid incentive bonuses under the table to members of his defense who injured opposing players. The NFL office was finally tipped off to the scheme and suspended Williams and head coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season.
Yet Williams found work immediately after his suspension ended. The Tennessee Titans hired him as a senior defensive assistant for the 2013 season.
Williams then returned to a DC position with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams and was in that job for three years from 2015-17.
After being fired by the Rams, Williams spent the first half of 2018 as the Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator. He was promoted to interim head coach when Hue Jackson was fired midway through the season with the Browns having a 2-5-1 record.
The Browns went 5-3 under Williams but, it wasn’t enough for him to stay in the job.
Gregg Williams has more wins in 6 games as the Browns head coach than Hue Jackson did in 2.5 seasons. pic.twitter.com/Kxj0JkuOcZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 16, 2018
Williams then joined the Jets in 2019.
So, even with the baggage of Bountygate, Williams has remained in demand.
Spotty Recent History
The Jets defense has been bad this season and nearly as inept as the feeble offense. They are 30th in the NFL in points allowed (29.4 ppg) and 29th in total yards allowed (398.8 ypg).
In fairness to Williams, he had been running a depleted unit.
Disgruntled All-Pro safety Jamal Adams was traded to the Seattle Seahawks over the summer. Furthermore, C.J. Mosley opted out of the season because of COVID-19 concerns, and fellow linebacker Avery Williamson was dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the season.
This is what the Jets missed without Adams.
TOO FAST. There's @Prez with the sack on Carson Wentz! 😤
Watch #SEAvsPHI: https://t.co/hBwDTin5ta https://t.co/2FAB7pwMGE
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 1, 2020
The Jets were appreciably better in Williams’ first season in 2019. They finished seventh in the league in total defense (323.1) and 16th in points allowed (22.4).
Williams’ defenses have not been dominant in recent seasons, though. The Browns were 30th in total defense and 21st in scoring defense in 2018, while his last two Rams’ defenses were 19th and 12th in 2016 and ninth and 23rd the following year.
Will He Return?
Yet the 62-year-old Williams should not be written off. He did, after all, survive Bountygate.
Thus, there is value in betting that he will be a defensive coordinator when next season begins.
Pick: Yes (+220)
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
