Washington Redskins interim coach Bill Callahan told reporters Wednesday that left tackle Trent Williams did not pass his physical today and was unable to practice due to "discomfort with his helmet and the fitting of it."
Callahan said that the team will take Williams' situation day by day, adding that he believes the discomfort from the helmet stems from Williams' offseason surgery to remove a growth on his head.
"I don't know all the specifics yet, but all I know is that the helmet, he wasn't comfortable," Callahan said. "A little discomfort in there. I'm sure it would be a part of the acclimation period of getting him back on the field. That was where it was going to begin."
Williams ended his season-long holdout on Tuesday following the NFL's trade deadline and was reported to be at the team facility Wednesday morning.
Confusion about Williams' health status emerged Wednesday as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport was told by team sources that Williams' medical visit went well and he was healthy enough to practice. But that turned out not to be the case when Callahan met with reporters hours later and said Williams helmet was causing issues leading to the failed physical.
When asked if Williams would need a specialized helmet, Callahan said: "I'm going to leave that to the trainers and the doctors and the equipment manager, and see if they can all get together and formulate a plan of action and go forward from there."
Callahan said he did not currently have a timeline for when Williams will be tested again, but he said that he is "hopeful" that Williams will be able to play this season.
"I've got a lot of respect for Trent, and what he's achieved here and what he’s done," Callahan said. "I look at it through the eyes of the player. I've seen the sacrifices that he's made. The work that he's put in when he's here and playing. He's one of the more elite offensive linemen I've ever had the privilege to coach, and I've been fortunate to have been around a lot of them. He has all the ingredients, tools, traits, whatever you want to call it, he has that. He has that makeup, he has that skillset to be really good in this league, and he has been. He's proved that."
The Redskins announced Wednesday they've been given a roster exemption for Williams. He will not take up a spot on the 53-man roster while the exemption is in place.