Jury awards ex-Cougars player $340,000

OAKLAND, Calif. – A jury on Tuesday ordered Bill Romanowski to pay former Oakland Raiders teammate Marcus Williams $340,000 in damages for smashing the tight end’s face with a punch during a practice drill in 2003.

Williams, from Washington State University, had been seeking millions of dollars in damages for the Aug. 24, 2003, attack, saying it broke his left eye socket, shortened his memory, gave him double vision and depression, and ended his career after less than two seasons.

“We are very pleased with the verdict because it establishes that there are limits to the violence in football,” said Williams’ attorney, James Brosnahan.

Williams received $40,000 in medical expenses and $300,000 for lost wages – about one season’s salary.

Jurors reached their verdict after deliberating for two days. Romanowski showed no visible emotion as the verdict was read, but his wife gave him a hug.

Neither side said it plans to appeal.

“If Marcus Williams would have come to us then and said, ‘Write us a check for $340,000,’ this would have been done in a heart beat,” said Romanowski’s attorney, Jeffrey Springer. “There was never an opportunity in this case to settle this case or resolve it for anything other than millions of dollars.”

During the trial, Williams testified that after he blocked Romanowski during a running drill, Romanowski grabbed his helmet and ripped it off before delivering the crushing blow.

“This was not football – there are lines and limits and rules,” Brosnahan said.

Romanowski told jurors he did punch Williams in the face, but did not remember much more about the fight.

“There was a fight that broke out,” he said. “My reaction was a reaction from being pushed in the back.”

Williams testified that his life has turned into nightmare, with no hopes of playing football while at the same time seeing Romanowski in his dreams.

“He is satisfied that we established what we set out to establish … that what Romanowski did was wrong,” Brosnahan said. “You have to respect the jury because they listen carefully to all the evidence.”

Williams, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, played in 13 games as a rookie during Oakland’s Super Bowl season. He was used primarily on special teams but was trying to earn a regular position before the injury.