Loss of a Cowboy

ESPN Article

As most have heard by now, the Denver Broncos starting right cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed early Monday morning (1/1/07) in downtown Denver. He was apparently the victim of a drive-by shooting following some kind of altercation at a night club - an altercation that Williams himself apparently was not involved in, but took place between others in his party and another group in the nightclub.

Two others were injured in the incident, Brandon Flowers and Nicole Reindl. Javon Walker is thought to have been a passenger in the vehicle at the time, but has not confirmed this yet.

Williams played his college ball at Oklahoma State and stands out among the best defensive backs in recent OSU history (R.W. McQuarters being the other that comes to mind). The single play that I saw Darrent make that most stands out in my mind was an interception during his freshman year against Texas A&M on a nasty, rainy, cold day that sealed a win over the Aggies.

The loss has clearly been deep among those who knew him. Reactions around the league and the OSU community have been emotional. Tatum Bell (who played at OSU and on the Broncos with Williams) was very emotional when he talked to ESPN's Cold Pizza Monday morning. Statements from Mike Gundy (OSU head coach), Anthony Criss (William's high school coach), Kevin Williams (OSU teammate and Vikings Defensive lineman) all describe Darrent Williams as an exemplary individual who was realizing his dreams in the NFL. Time will tell what led to this tragic loss. My prayers go out to Darrent's family, teammates, friends, and especially his two young children.