I hate to go on an “Old Man Yells at Clouds” rant but I have to at this point. I will never be one to criticize NFL players for hosting a podcast or trying to monetize their brand with an active social media presence. But I’ve got to say I’m confused by the stance Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams is taking on social media right now.

Williams—who has played the most defensive snaps among Cowboys DEs—recently responded to a post criticizing his play during a defensive rep. In the play, he’s blocked by a Carolina Panthers wide receiver and is taken out of the play completely. It was one of several reps showing poor run defense from the Cowboys.

I just don’t understand why Williams would take this stance. My best guess is he’s implying he wasn’t blown up by a wide out but rather carrying out his assignment. Without being in the defensive meetings, it’s almost impossible to know what his exact assignment was.

But we do know he is the end man on the line of scrimmage, which in most cases means he’s not shooting inside on a toss play. But let’s say he needed to be inside for whatever reason. He’s still getting handled and moved with easy by a wide receiver’s “crack” block. It’s just not a good look either way. What’s so funny about that when you’re part of the worst defense in the NFL? You can see the clip of the play in the X post below.

Regardless of the context, it’s clear it’s not a great play. Not only for Williams but for the entire defense. Accountability is always preached about in NFL locker rooms across the league. Using a laughing emoji on social media shows none of that.

It shows a lack of care. And I get it, these are pro athletes. This is their job. They shouldn’t be expected to care as much as fans do simply because they need to separate the professional side from the personal one.

But there’s a not-so-fine line between that and treating it as a joke. And when the defense is a joke on the field, it stings.