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Javonte Williams was one of the bright spots for the Dallas Cowboys in their season-opening 28-20 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday.
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The Cowboys went to Williams repeatedly on the ground, resulting in 12 carries for the sixth-year running back. He rushed for a team-high 41 yards and one touchdown.
Quarterback Dak Prescott also targeted Williams five times, with the former North Carolina standout catching all five passes for 31 yards and one receiving TD.
Williams, however, now faces potential punishment from the NFL. This is after he was called for a taunting penalty as he scored his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter.
Williams caught a short pass from Prescott, resulting in a 17-yard TD. However, as Williams was about to cross the end zone, he extended the ball toward Giants safety Tyler Nubin in a taunting gesture.
Williams gets a taunting penalty which gives the Cowboys kicking team 15 more yards pic.twitter.com/bGW9belCVp
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— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) September 14, 2026
The referees immediately threw a flag on the play, penalizing Williams for his antics. It resulted in an automatic 15-yard penalty for the Cowboys, which was enforced on the extra-point attempt. Kicker Brandon Aubrey subsequently missed the longer attempt.
The NFL will now review this incident for a potential fine. Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 of the 2026 NFL rulebook explicitly warns against “using baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams.” According to the NFL’s fines schedule, a taunting violation carries a fine of $11,941 for a first offense and $17,911 for a second offense.
Williams now needs to wait for the NFL’s decision on whether his actions warrant the hefty fine.
The Cowboys will head home for Week 2. They will host the Washington Commanders on Sunday in what will be Dallas’ first home game at AT&T Stadium this season.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 4:01 AM.