Packers Rookie Gets Jail Time For ‘94 Shooting

Tyrone Williams of the Green Bay Packers was sentenced Tuesday in Lincoln, Neb., to six months in jail for a 1994 car shooting that happened while he was at the University of Nebraska.

The 23-year-old rookie cornerback showed no emotion in the courtroom and declined to comment following the sentence.

District Court Judge Bernard McGinn, a linebacker on the Nebraska football team that played in the 1965 Cotton Bowl, ordered Williams to report to jail on Dec. 3.

Williams also must serve three years of supervised probation and perform 400 hours of unpaid community service in the next 36 months.

The judge said if Williams were not jailed, others might think that shooting at an occupied car could lead to nothing more than probation.

Williams is believed to be the first active NFL player sentenced to a jail term during a regular season.

Williams’ status with the Packers was not immediately known. His attorney, Sean Brennan, said he didn’t know if Williams would appeal the sentence.

“On advice of our legal counsel, we have no comment at this time,” Packers general manager Ron Wolf said.

In addressing McGinn before sentence was imposed, Brennan emphasized that Williams had no previous record, had overcome an impoverished childhood and done everything asked of him since the Jan. 30, 1994 incident. Brennan said Williams had no tolerance for alcohol and that drinking led to the episode. He said Williams had completed treatment for alcohol abuse and now avoids intoxicants.

“Even though I can’t really remember exactly what happened that night, I do know that it will never happen again,” Williams told the court moments before sentencing. He apologized for his acts.

Williams pleaded no contest and was convicted in September on a felony charge of unlawfully discharging a gun and misdemeanor assault. The jail sentence, which could require just 120 days incarceration with time off for good behavior, was for the assault. The felony charge brought the order for probation, community service, continued abstinence from alcohol and $1,300 restitution.

A member of Nebraska’s 1994 and 1995 national championship teams, Williams fired two shots into the rear of a car that carried Kevin Porter, then a player for the New York Jets, and student Brooke Bohac. No one was injured in the Jan. 30, 1994, incident in Lincoln.

Packers sign Rison

Green Bay claimed veteran wide receiver Andre Rison on waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Rison is a three-time Pro Bowler who started all 11 games for the Jaguars this season, making 34 receptions for 458 yards and two touchdowns.

The Packers waived veteran wide receiver Anthony Morgan, who was cut by the team at the end of training camp but re-signed as a free agent Oct. 28.

The Green Bay receiving corps has been decimated this season by injuries to wide receivers Robert Brooks and Antonio Freeman and tight end Mark Chmura.

Rison’s career bests include 93 catches in the 1992 season, and 1,242 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, both in 1993.

Monday ratings soar

The national overnight television ratings for Monday’s Green Bay-Dallas game were the highest for a regular-season NFL game in five years.

The game, won 21-6 by the defending champion Cowboys, drew a 21.4 rating. That was the highest rating since the Eagles vs. Cowboys drew a 22.3 on Oct. 5, 1991.

Each ratings point represents 972,000 homes, meaning at least part of the game was seen in nearly 21 million homes.

Odomes denies alcohol problem

A somber Nate Odomes denied Tuesday he has a problem with alcohol after a harrowing car crash that led to his third drunken-driving charge in less than two years.

Looking surprisingly fit after crashing into a tree early Monday morning, the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback would not discuss his legal situation at an impromptu news conference on the Atlanta Falcons’ practice field.

However, he did acknowledge he was lucky to be alive and needed to make changes in his lifestyle.

Odomes suffered a concussion and multiple cuts and bruises in the wreck, which occurred in the suburbs north of Atlanta, not far from his home. He was charged with drunken driving after officers said they smelled alcohol. He was also charged with three traffic violations.

The case is pending until police receive the results of a blood test, expected in four to six weeks.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that court records show Odomes has two other DUI cases pending in Fulton County. The charges stem from incidents on March 22, 1995, and April 26 of this year.

Dining out

Jerome Bettis usually picks up yards. This week, he’s picking up the bill.

Bettis, second in the NFL with 1,117 rushing yards, will take the Pittsburgh Steelers’ linemen to dinner tonight to thank them for their blocking.

Bettis expects the bill to equate to at least one dollar for every yard gained - and, considering how linemen can eat, probably much more.

Ins and outs

New York Giants starting linebacker Corey Miller probably will not play against Dallas on Sunday because of a severely sprained left ankle, the team said. Miller was injured last Sunday against Arizona and underwent an MRI on Monday… . The Philadelphia Eagles placed wide receiver Mark Ingram on injured reserve and promoted rookie linebacker Whit Marshall from the practice squad to the active roster. Ingram tore cartilage in his left knee during practice Nov. 13… . The Miami Dolphins activated defensive end Jeff Cross and placed guard Chris Gray on injured reserve. Gray, who broke his right leg Sunday at Houston, will miss the rest of the season.