Being a professional athlete in a team sport is a different job than just about any other. I'm not talking so much about the money, although that's truly extraordinary in many cases. I'm talking about the responsibility that goes with the position.

The team, which has a big investment in you, expects you to perform under almost any circumstance. The fans, who are asked to pay big dollars to watch you play, count on you for their entertainment pleasure. The teammates, who are like brothers to you, depend on you to be successful.

That's why Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Troy Williamson was wrong to leave his team for more than a week and miss the game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers because of the death of his grandmother.

That's also why Vikings management was right to dock Williamson his game check, a little more than $25,000.

I felt the same way in 1993 when Houston Oilers offensive tackle David Williams failed to make any effort to get to a game in New England because he didn't want to leave his wife and newborn son. Oilers management was crucified for docking Williams his game check of $111,111. But, really, what choice did the organization have?

Please, spare me the family-must-come-first argument. I won't disagree with you. Nor am I minimizing Williamson's loss; his grandmother helped raise him and his nine brothers and sisters. All I'm saying is Williamson could have found a way to meet his obligations to his family and to his unique job.

Forget that Williamson largely has been a bust as the No. 7 overall pick from the 2005 NFL draft. Although he's the Vikings' top deep threat, he has just nine catches for 159 yards and one touchdown this season. Also forget that the Vikings crushed the Chargers, 35-17, without him. They did so because rookie running back Adrian Peterson gave them an NFL-record 296 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Williamson still is a part of the Vikings' team. As any coach will tell you, every player on the 53-man roster has a vital role.

Williamson owed his teammates more than to bail on them for nine days.

Aren't they supposed to be his family, too?

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Williamson left the Vikings Oct. 29 -- the day his grandmother died -- to return home to Aiken, S.C. It's understandable that he wanted to be there to provide comfort for his mother, Shirley, and the rest of his family. He also had to make travel arrangements for family members -- some in the armed forces -- to attend the funeral Monday.

But couldn't Williamson have rejoined the Vikings late last week, played against the Chargers and made it back to Aiken for the funeral? If not, couldn't the funeral have been pushed back a day until Tuesday?

"He had to do what he had to do," Vikings coach Brad Childress said.

Yes, Williamson did.

"I'd throw this football thing away for my family," he said.

But so, too, did the Vikings do what they had to do when they withheld Williamson's game check. Just like the Oilers did back in '93. The Vikings are taking an unfair public-relations beating for being cold-blooded and callous.

I'll ask the question again:

What choice does Vikings management have?

Being a football player is even different than being an athlete in the other team sports. If a baseball player takes a bereavement leave and misses a couple of games, it's a tiny fraction of his team's schedule. But NFL teams play just 16 games. A team has a right to expect its players to make their best effort to participate in each one.

Sorry.

Williamson let the Vikings down.

He let the team's fans down.

Most of all, he let his teammates down.