It was senseless tragedy.
It was senseless tragedy that killed Darrent Williams in Denver in the second hour of the new year.
It was senseless tragedy that killed 3,000 American soldiers in Iraq.
It was senseless tragedy that killed a little girl in Boulder on Christmas 10 years ago.
It was senseless tragedy that killed 12 students and a teacher at Columbine in 1999.
It was senseless tragedy that killed people in Oklahoma City and senseless tragedy that killed even more people in New York City. And New Orleans.
My sister dying of cancer in late November and my new friend jumping off a bridge in December and your neighbors dying in a blizzard were senseless tragedies.
That there are so many deaths and so much killing caused by guns, disease, terrorism, depression, nature and differences in religious, political and sociological beliefs is senseless tragedy.
We grieve, we hurt, we hate, we cope with senseless tragedy, and we don’t understand.
No matter what happened near downtown Denver the other night, Darrent Williams didn’t deserve to be murdered violently. A mother shouldn’t have lost a son. A son and a daughter shouldn’t have lost a father. Players shouldn’t have lost a teammate. Coloradans shouldn’t have lost one of the good guys. The world shouldn’t have lost another person to senseless tragedy.
Athletes are human, too.
The Broncos should retire Williams’ number – 27.
The city should build, with public donations, a youth recreational center in his honor. The citizens should not forget the young man.
Mike Shanahan said Tuesday that before every game Darrent told the coach “he would make a play.”
He always did make a play – big or small, meaningful or memorable.
Against New England, Williams finished with nine individual tackles and assisted on two others.
Against Baltimore he had an interception.
At home against San Diego Williams picked off a pass and ran for a 31-yard touchdown.
In Kansas City and at home against Cincinnati he had interceptions, and he made nine solo tackles in the Chiefs game.
As a cornerback, he had seven tackles against the Indianapolis Colts.
Williams recovered a fumble at Pittsburgh.
In other games over two seasons, despite his size (5-feet-8), Williams knocked down and intercepted passes, made touchdown-saving tackles, returned punts and kickoffs and had to be ready all the time because opponents would not attack the best corner in football, Champ Bailey.
He was Barnum to Bailey.
And in his last game Sunday Williams returned two punts for 50 yards. One went for 34.
“We knew when we drafted Darrent he would help us right away on special teams and as a nickel (fifth defensive) back,” Shanahan said. Williams started nine games as a cornerback as a rookie.
Williams was burned in games; he was benched for a game; he was out with a groin injury a game. He chided the other Broncos; he got them to laugh. He made fans mad; he made them cheer. He was praised and criticized.
Darrent Williams was a football player.
“He was upbeat, a fierce competitor who looked forward to competing on Sunday,” said Shanahan, who had to pause and hold back the tears when he spoke to the media Tuesday afternoon.
“He was a first-round guy who we hoped would still be available when we had our second pick in the second round. We got lucky.”
The Broncos are getting together for Williams several times this week – again today at Dove Valley to tell stories about Kid Corner, at his memorial service in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday night and at the funeral Saturday.
Had the Broncos won Sunday, how could they have played in the playoffs? Maybe there was a reason for defeat.
There are so many questions about Williams’ death, and some never will be answered.
There are many questions about the future of the Broncos, and most will be answered.
Williams the player will be replaced in games. Williams the man cannot be replaced in life.
He was the victim of another tragedy that makes no sense.
Staff writer Woody Paige can be reached at 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com.
