Few players labeled as playoff goats—however rashly—have the resiliency or mental fortitude to withstand, let alone recover, from that utterly odious designation.

Fans do not often grant them a second chance to rebound or prove themselves, regardless if that negative labeling was even justified in the first place. Front office personnel and head coaches might just rather cut ties and avoid dealing with the fallout in subsequent seasons.

Some would say it’s the equivalent of being blackballed entirely.

In the case of Kyle Williams and the pervasive documentation surrounding his muffed punt returns in the NFC Championship Game between his fellow 49ers and the New York Giants, things will turn out differently.