It hasn’t been a great offseason for a few former Pittsburgh Steelers players when it comes to league suspensions.
On Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com reported that former Steelers running back Karlos Williams has now been suspended for a period of at least one year.
Williams, who was waived by the Steelers this past March, was originally signed to the team’s practice squad last October. He was then suspended for 10 games at the end of November for reportedly violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Steelers signed Williams to a futures contract this past January after his suspension was temporarily lifted with reportedly one game remaining to be served.
Williams had also been previously suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season for a substance-abuse policy violation while he was a member of the Buffalo Bills, who released him on Aug. 21.
Originally drafted in the fifth-round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Florida State by the Bills, Williams played in 11 games during his rookie season, starting three. He gained 517 yards on 93 carries and scored seven rushing touchdowns in addition to two receiving touchdowns. He is the younger brother of current Steelers linebacker Vince Williams.
It goes without saying that the younger Williams has probably played his last down in the NFL as a result of his latest suspension.
This past May, former Steelers cornerback Justin Gilbert was suspended for the first four weeks of the 2017 season for also violating the league’s substance abuse policy. However, a little over a week ago the former first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns had his suspension extended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for the entire 2017 season.
The Steelers waived Gilbert this past February after he dressed for 12 games for the team last season.
