Williams’ second life with Ticats

HAMILTON— Chris Williams isn’t worrying about how Hamilton Tiger-Cats will welcome him back Saturday afternoon.

Hamilton re-acquired Williams as part of the five-player deal Sunday night that sent quarterback Johnny Manziel to the Montreal Alouettes. The speedy receiver began his CFL career with the Ticats (2011-12) and earned the league’s top rookie and outstanding specialteams player awards over his two seasons, before ultimately going to court to get out of his deal in order to pursue NFL opportunities.

The five-foot-nine, 155-pound Williams will start at slotback when Hamilton (2-3) hosts the Ottawa Redblacks (3-2) at Tim Hortons Field in a battle of the East Division’s top two clubs.

“Ah man, it’s done with,” Williams, will start at slotback against Ottawa, said Friday. “I have a job to do and I’m going to focus on that.

“It’s a business, first and foremost. Just go my thing and the rest will take care of itself.”

Williams, 30, was a doublethreat for Hamilton in 2011-12. He was a 1,000-yard receiver in both years and in 2012 returned five punts for TDs.

But he went to arbitration to be released from the final year of his deal to pursue NFL offers. An arbitrator ruled the Ticats violated the league’s collective bargaining agreement by negotiating with an unregistered agent but that the penaty was a fine, not the termination of the contract.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice issued a ruling that quashed the arbitrator’s original judgement while ordering the Ticats to pay court costs of $8,500. That prompted the CFL Players’ Association to declare Williams a free agent but both the CFL and Ticats disagreed, saying they planned to appeal the ruling.

Ultimately, Williams and the Ticats reached an agreement that allowed Williams to join the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. Williams did ultimately return to the CFL in 2015, joining the Redblacks after being released by the Chicago Bears.