FRISCO, Texas — Stephen Jones sits on the NFL’s competition committee, and he said Monday the taunting flag on Javonte Williams was correct.
Williams held the ball out toward Giants safety Tyler Nubin while crossing the goal line untouched on a 17-yard touchdown catch with 5:21 to play in Sunday night’s 28-20 loss. The 15-yard flag was enforced between downs and pushed the try to 48 yards. Brandon Aubrey missed it wide right.
“Yeah, I think so. We’ve stressed it. The league stressed it,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan‘s “K&C Masterpiece” when asked whether the Dallas Cowboys knew the officials would enforce taunting closely this season. “It was a very fair call.”
Jones continued: “And, you know, unfortunately, he did what he did. It was, in my opinion, it was taunting. And I think we were flagged properly for it.”
Dallas had planned to attempt a two-point conversion on the play.
“And obviously, I think Schotty said in the postgame, he was ready to go for two and hopefully incentivize the defense to go out and make one big stop and go win the game,” Jones said. “You just can’t do things like that.”
Schottenheimer spoke at his postgame news conference at MetLife Stadium.
“We were going for the win,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “That’s not like Javonte.”
What Javonte Williams Said About The Taunting Penalty
Williams spoke to reporters after the game.
“I’m a pro. I know better than that,” Williams said. “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.”
Williams is one of 11 members of the Cowboys’ leadership council. He was asked what beat Dallas at MetLife Stadium.
“It’s us versus us,” Williams said. “Self-inflicted wounds, penalties, things like that. That’s what cost us the game.”
Williams owned the penalty before he left the stadium Sunday night.
Stephen Jones Defends Javonte Williams
Williams rushed for 1,201 yards last season, ninth in the NFL, and re-signed with Dallas in the offseason.
“By the way, someone like Javonte, he’s such a class act,” Jones said. “But Javonte, that’s one of the reasons we signed him back up as a running back is he does everything the right way. That’s just unfortunate. That’s not his football character. I’m sure he’s kicking himself about that too, for sure, just kind of seeing him on the sideline there.”
Williams scored 2 touchdowns against New York. He carried 12 times for 41 yards, and his 3.4 yards per carry were the third-lowest of his time in Dallas.
Aubrey has made a Pro Bowl in each of his three NFL seasons. He was a second-team All-Pro selection last year.
Dallas was flagged 9 times for 90 yards. New York was flagged 10 times for 114 yards.
Dallas hosts the Washington Commanders on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.
