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Jets’ Quinnen Williams, Coach Aaron Whitecotton Get In Screaming Match On Sidelines, Nearly Come To Blows

Screenshot/Twitter/NFLonCBS

Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams got into a screaming match Sunday with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.

CBS shared footage of the verbal altercation online, in which Williams stands up and starts yelling at Whitecotton, who immediately barks back at the defensive tackle before other players separate the pair. Following the Jets’ 27-12 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, Williams said the intense exchange was just two competitors wanting to win a football game, according to Sports Illustrated (SI).

The interaction started after the Bengals achieved a 54-yard touchdown from quarterback Joe Burrow to wideout Tyler Boyd, which saw New York send seven defenders on a third-down blitz, the outlet continued. Williams claimed he was telling Whitecotton he wanted a call for a four-man rush given the situation, believing the defensive line could apply enough pressure to disrupt Burrow, SI reported.

“It wasn’t really a shouting match like everyone is making it seem,” Williams said, according to SI. “I just trust my D-line so much. Put it on our back to win this game. It came out of me to just challenge our D-line coach like, ‘put it on our back, coach. You know what we got in this room. Four-man rush, we don’t need all these extra blitzes and stuff like that. Put it on our back and let’s go out there and rush,'” he continued. (RELATED: College Linebacker Luke Knox, Brother Of NFL Player Dawson Knox, Dead At 22)

Whitecotton and Williams reportedly spoke following the interaction and moved on. Williams noted he felt there was a change with the defense during that period of play, according to SI. Jets head coach Robert Saleh said he wasn’t concerned about the situation, the outlet noted.