December 14, 2024
Williams was misidentified by a broadcast late in the first quarter of action.
An apparent mistake by the “Thursday Night Football on Prime” production team, on-air broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit, or a combination of the two, sparked a backlash on social media after San Francisco 49ers running back Trent Williams was misidentified during the broadcast.
As reported Terrible Announcementthe incident occurred at the end of the first quarter when Williams’ name tag, sidelined for nearly a month, appeared under another black, bearded 49er who was also inactive for a Dec. 12 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Social media users and members of the NFL media identified the player as the wrong person in real time, with some using humor to criticize Prime’s play if the production team failed to correctly identify such a famous player.
Fans wasted no time on their keyboards to uncover the error, with former NFL player Emmanuel Acho commenting:
He added: “I repeat, wrong black boy!”
The player they pointed to initially, later finding Williams in the second quarter as the offensive lineman sat in the box, was second-year defensive lineman Nesta Jade Silvera, signed to the team’s practice squad in October.
Williams is listed on the 49ers’ injury report with a left ankle injury and is also grieving the loss of his son, Trenton Williams Jr., who was stillborn Nov. 24, and Trenton’s twin, who was lost earlier during Sondra Williams’ pregnancy. due to trisomy 13.
By: ESPN:Williams coach Kyle Shanahan noted on December 2 that The team is doing what they can to help their star left tackle as he and his family grieve.
“It’s hard as a coach,” Shanahan said. “It’s hard as a friend, it’s hard as a family member … You can never escape that complete grief, but I think it’s nice for those guys to have another way. for going out on the football field, surrounding teammates and things like that.”
Some have speculated that this season, given the 49ers’ current record and impending elimination from playoff contention, it would make sense for Williams to sit out, even if he could theoretically play.
In the offseason, Williams, long considered the league’s best player at his position, sought advice from another player who extended his playing days long before his prime: Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James.
“I ignore the fact that if I retire today, I’ll probably have a good chance of having a gold jacket,” Williams said. ESPN: in November. “My point right now is that I want to finish this career as strong as I started it.”
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