Williamson Back...At Least Physically

The Vikings got Troy Williamson back to practice Wednesday, but it was clear that while his body is back in Minnesota, his heart and mind remain in South Carolina with his family, where they grieve the loss of his grandmother and the tragic accident that has one of his brothers in and out of a coma.

Troy Williamson returned to practice with the Vikings Wednesday, but made it clear that his heart remains in South Carolina, where he lost his grandmother last week and has a brother who was critically injured in a car accident in September.

Williamson, who missed last week’s game with the Chargers, said Wednesday that he had no regrets about staying at home for the burial of the grandmother who played a big hand in raising him as a child. He added that, if he had his way, he would still be with his family.

“I’d throw this football thing away for my family,” Williamson said. “I know it’s a business and I know they (the Viking) have got other obligations when it comes to them and their family also. I know how I felt towards mine. I felt like I wouldn’t have been overdoing it if I had stayed home a little longer, but you’ve got other people and their options.”

Williamson wasn’t merely grieving the loss of his family, he was coordinating flights for as many 30 family members from throughout the country and as far away as Italy. His grandmother’s funeral was Monday.

Through the first half of the season, Williamson, a first-round pick in 2005, has nine receptions for 159 yards and one touchdown.

THURSDAY NOTES
* During a media session in Green Bay Thursday, Koren Robinson thanked the Vikings and coach Brad Childress for releasing him. It brought a round of laughs from the local media, until Robinson explained that he was serious. He explained that if he hadn’t been released by the Vikings, he may not have found God or been in the sober place mentally he is now.
* Tarvaris Jackson took part in Wednesday’s practice on a limited basis after passing all five steps in a post-concussion testing scenario administered by the team. He sounded confident that he will start Sunday, but, as of Wednesday, Brooks Bollinger took most of the first-team snaps.
* Koy Detmer was realistic about his chances of hooking on with the Vikings, calling it a “days-are-numbered kind of thing” Wednesday. A fourth QB on a 53-man roster, Detmer was signed due to concerns over the health of Jackson and Kelly Holcomb. If both of them return healthy, Detmer will likely be released, so he doesn’t know now if his stint with the Vikings will be one of days, weeks or months.
* Antoine Winfield returned to practice on a limited basis and hopes to be back in the lineup Sunday. Packers wide receiver Donald Driver took a verbal shot at Winfield during a conference call, saying he didn’t cover him man-to-man in the first meeting this year. Apparently Double-D didn’t get the memo from Chilly – the coach nixed the man-on-man plan shortly after Winfield proposed it.
* Bryant McKinnie sat out Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury, but isn’t expected to miss Sunday’s game.