Baltimore Ravens' cornerback Carey Williams shoved a referee in the chest during a second quarter brawl during Super Bowl XLVII and was allowed to remain in the game. When a fight broke out after safety Ed Reed intercepted a pass from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Williams took his anger out on a referee. Both teams were awarded unnecessary roughness penalties, but the general rule is that Williams should have been ejected for his aggression.
The referees were doing everything they could to let the players keep playing. A heated game from the beginning, it featured many scuffles from start to finish without too many flags being thrown as a result for them. However, any contact with a referee normally results in an automatic ejection of the player. Williams gives the referee a solid shove to the chest and was allowed to continue playing. After the fight broke out and players were being separated from each other, Williams emerged from the ground with a clear view of the referee. It is unknown exactly what his motives were when he decided to take out his anger on the officials. Instead of Williams getting the boot for the remainder of the game, unnecessary roughness penalties were San Francisco's Joe Staley and Baltimore's Corey Graham. A seemingly unfair call to many watching the game.
Williams can all but expect to hear from league officials following his actions Sunday night. While no penalty was given to him, the league will have no problem asking for a hearing that could lead to a hefty fine or possible suspension of the cornerback that will follow into the 2013-2014 season.
After the game, Williams defended his actions telling media, "I didn't know who the heck I pushed. Those guys kicked my helmet off, took my helmet off man, it's just part of a process. Whatever."
The Ravens followed up the fight going into halftime leading 21-3 and eventually winning the game. Williams will surely have no problem fitting in a meeting with the NFL during his Super Bowl celebrations.
