Williams had alleged that Redskins doctors failed for years to take seriously a cancerous growth on his headGETTY IMAGES
The NFLPA has "decided not to move forward for now on a joint review with the league of the medical treatment" given by the Redskins to OT Trent Williams, at Williams' request, according to Maske, Carpenter & Copeland of the WASHINGTON POST. This is the latest "procedural maneuver in the increasingly bitter confrontation" between the team and Williams, who has "alleged that team doctors failed for years to take seriously a cancerous growth on his head, leading to his recent five-month holdout." A source said that the NFLPA "never agreed to participate in the joint review," which would be conducted under the terms of the current CBA, despite the announcement Friday by the NFL that the review "would take place." The source said that union officials "had not spoken to Williams at that point," and when they did so later Friday, he was "adamant that he did not want the NFLPA to participate." The source added that it is "conceivable that the league could push for the review to proceed without the consent of Williams and the NFLPA." But if he chooses, Williams has the right to "withhold access to his medical records from the medical experts who would be chosen to conduct the review." The Redskins "asked for the review" Thursday, just "hours after" Williams' allegation. Sunday, the union released a statement "supporting Williams and slamming" a report by NFL Network's Charley Casserly which said that Williams was "told by a Redskins doctor to see a specialist about the growth three years ago but never did" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/5).
