Nohl Williams escaped punishment from the NFL after a controversial play against Buffalo Bills. The Kansas City Chiefs cornerback won’t face any penalty for an alleged hip-drop tackle on Bills running back James Cook during the Chiefs’ Week 9 loss, according to the league’s Office of Gameday Accountability.
Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Elijah Moore (18) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Nohl Williams (20) after catching a pass during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Elijah Moore (18) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Nohl Williams (20) after catching a pass during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Williams’name was absent from the list of 26 players fined Saturday for various on-field violations from Week 9 games. The league reviewed the play but chose not to penalize the third-round rookie out of California.
Josh Allen actually did receive a fine from that same game. The NFL penalized the Bills quarterback nearly $15,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct via a “violent gesture” late in the third quarter of the contest.
Cook has dealt with ankle issues all season, and the play involving Williams last weekend made the problem worse. He sat out practice on Wednesday and participated in a limited fashion on Thursday, according toBuffalo’s official injury report.
The running back returned to full practice Friday and won’t likely miss time because of the ankle. “I’m ready to go,” Cook told Kay Adams via her Up & Adams show Thursday. “I’ll be out there when it’s time to play on Sunday.”
“I’m ready to go. I’ll be out there when it’s time to play on Sunday.”
– #Bills RB James Cook, who popped up on the injury report this week.#BillsMafia
pic.twitter.com/R4ONBrGnoh
— Ajay Cybulski (@AjayCybulski) November 6, 2025
The league doesn’t base fines on whether officials flagged a player during a game. The NFL also doesn’t take injuries into account when determining punishments.
Whether Williams’ defensive stop actually qualified as a hip-drop tackle remained inconclusive. That uncertainty, combined with Cook’s likelihood of playing Sunday against Miami, probably made the league’s decision not to punish Williams the right call.
Cole Bishop also avoided punishment for a vicious but clean-looking hit on Travis Kelce. The Bills’ safety delivered the blow to the Chiefs’ tight end in the end zone near the end of the first half. Both men left the field early, with trainers following them after the collision, but they both returned in the second half.
Williams hasappeared in all nine games for Kansas City this season, earning one start. The rookie has collected 22 tackles and three pass breakups so far in 2025.
Kansas City Chiefs Face Uphill Battle After Bye
Kansas City sits at 5-4 and outside the AFC playoff picture in the No. 8 spot. Seven teams from each conference make the playoffs, leaving the Chiefs on the bubble after their disappointing start.
The schedule doesn’t get easier coming out of the bye week. Kansas City faces Denver and Indianapolis in back-to-back games. Both opponents are 7-2 and tied for the best record in the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes acknowledged the team’s inconsistency after the Buffalo loss. “We’ve had great moments, we’ve had bad moments. We gotta be more consistent as a team, I gotta be more consistent at quarterback,” Mahomes said.
The quarterback noted that close games aren’t breaking Kansas City’s way anymore. “We’ve kind of been in a lot of these tight, close games in our history, but they’re not going our way now. So how can we deal with that adversity? How can we be better and learn from it?”
Patrick Mahomes emphasized the Chiefs must learn quickly from losses and face an uphill battle to stay competitive in the playoffs.