Dallas Cowboys defenseman Sam Williams was arrested by police Sunday night on charges of possession of a controlled substance and illegally carrying a weapon, according to a report from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The 24-year-old allegedly had marijuana, which justified the controlled substance charge. It’s a low-level felony in Texas, the Frisco police department told Star-Telegram. The gun charge is a felony.
Williams played in the Cowboys’ 22-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, recording a sack and two tackles. He reportedly returned with the team early Sunday morning and attended practice on Tuesday after the team took Monday off.
The Cowboys are reportedly aware of the arrest and declined to comment. It will likely lead to an NFL investigation and possible suspension.
According to the league’s expectations and standards of conduct, simply avoiding being found guilty of a crime is not enough. We must all live up to a higher standard and conduct ourselves in a manner that is responsible, promotes NFL values and is lawful.”
The Ole Miss standout faced legal trouble before the Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was arrested in July 2020 for a sex crime. Williams was suspended from Ole Miss team activities shortly after the arrest and reinstated in September of that year when the case was no longer active.
He had an efficient rookie NFL campaign last year, recording fourteen solo tackles, four assists, four tackles and one forced fumble.
Late in the season, Williams missed a game after being injured in a two-car accident. He was ticketed for reckless driving. Police said he was driving between vehicles in a 98 km/h zone prior to the December 22 collision.
