There’s dumb, and there’s what former Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams did for the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s 28-20 loss to the New York Giants in Sunday’s season opener.
Williams scored the final touchdown for the Cowboys on a 17-yard pass from Dak Prescott but decided, for some reason, to hold the ball out toward a Giants player as he ran into the end zone — a clear-cut taunting penalty that forced the Cowboys to attempt a 48-yard PAT, which All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey missed with just over 2 minutes left in the game.
The selfish move by Williams costs the Cowboys big — Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the plan was to go for a 2-point conversion until Williams’ taunting penalty forced them to attempt the PAT.
Williams scored 2 touchdowns for the Cowboys.
“It’s just … it’s just insanity,” Sunday Night Football color commentator Cris Collinsworth said.
“Javonte Williams trolls the Giants while walking into the end zone,” SM Football wrote on its official X account. “He was flagged for taunting, the Cowboys missed the kick. Idiot.”
“Williams taunts, then Williams gets the first touchdown taunting penalty in like 3 years,” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said on Sunday night. “Oh, really? You can’t hold the ball out as you’re running into the end zone? Like they call that every time.”
“Cowboys RB Javonte Williams scored a TD but was flagged 15 yards for taunting after sticking the ball out toward a defender,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote on his official X account. “The end result? Dallas missed the longer extra point, and it remains an 8-point game.”
“Javonte Williams with a taunting penalty on his touchdown, and Brandon Aubrey misses the extra point,” NFL reporter Ed Werder wrote on his official X account. “He nearly missed one earlier. None of this performance has been inspiring or created the appearance of a well-coached team.”
What Did Williams Say About Taunting Penalty?
Williams, like every NFL player, was required to talk to the media after the game and try to explain his actions.
“It’s us versus us,” Williams told The Dallas Morning News. “Self-inflicted wounds, penalties, things like that. That’s what cost us the game. “I’m a pro. I know better than that. I shouldn’t have did it. I’m going to correct it. It is what it is. I’m just going to move past it.”
Cowboys Signed Williams to Huge New Contract
It was Williams’ 1st game for the Cowboys after rushing for career highs of 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025 and signing a 3-year, $24 million contract this offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox called Williams falling back to his old ways and being a “one hit wonder” as the worst-case scenario for the Cowboys offense in 2026.
“It’s hard to envision the Cowboys offense regressing much, barring injuries, of course,” Knox wrote on June 15. “However, Dallas will have plenty riding on the ability of (George) Pickens and Williams to replicate their 2025 success … Williams, meanwhile, is coming off the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career, and the Cowboys don’t have much proven depth behind him. If he and Pickens both regress, Dallas’ offense could be closer to average than elite.”
Williams was a 2nd round pick (No. 35 overall) by the Broncos in the 2021 NFL draft after rushing for over 1,100 yards and earning All-American honors for the University of North Carolina in 2020.
His career took off like a rocket with the Broncos when he earned All-Rookie honors in 2021 after he racked up 1,219 yards of total offense and 7 touchdowns, including 903 rushing yards. In 2022, a devastating knee injury put Williams’ career in jeopardy after he tore his ACL, LCL, and PCL in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
In the 2 seasons after his injury, Williams was almost completely ineffective. He led the Broncos with 774 rushing yards in 2023, then saw his numbers dip even more in 2024 when he rushed for 513 yards and averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in 16 starts.
Ex-Broncos RB Called Out for ‘Insane’ Taunting Penalty in Week 1 Loss