FEBRUARY 12: The Rams have officially announced Williams as their new defensive coordinator, with a press conference scheduled for tomorrow morning.
JANUARY 29: As reported by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter) and confirmed by the team (Twitter link), the Rams decided not to bring back defensive coordinator Tim Walton for the 2014 season. According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Rams intend to replace Walton with veteran coach Gregg Williams.
Williams, 55, was the head coach of the Bills from 2001 to 2003, though he’s perhaps better known for his role in the Saints’ bounty scandal. As the defensive coordinator of a unit that allegedly awarded bonuses to players for hits that inflicted injuries on opposing players, Williams received a year-long suspension from the NFL in 2012.
If and when his hiring is made official, it won’t be the first time Williams has accepted the same position from the Rams. He had been poised to act as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2012, having been hired before the league handed down the one-year suspension. Williams was eventually let go by St. Louis last January without having ever coached for the team, and spent the 2013 with the Titans as a defensive assistant.