The Detroit Lions struck gold when they drafted wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. But the Lions still needed a deep threat to get past the safeties while opening up the defense underneath for St. Brown.
The Lions remedied that situation by selecting Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams in the 2022 NFL Draft. He had suffered a torn ACL his final season with the Crimson Tide but was expected to be able to run a 4.30 40-yard dash, if not faster.
Williams played in just six games as an NFL rookie, with his lone reception being a 41-yard touchdown. But he was fully healthy heading into 2023, setting up for a breakout year — until he picked up his first suspension.
Sporting News breaks down Williams’ troubling timeline of off-field incidents during his brief tenure with the Lions.
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Jameson Williams’ timeline of trouble
Gambling suspension
Williams was one of the players penalized in a rash of 2023 gambling suspensions in the NFL. He was one of four Lions players suspended, with another suspension being handed out to a player on the Commanders.
An investigation found that Williams bet on a college football game while in the team hotel on a road trip. While he initially faced a six-game suspension, his sentence was reduced and he returned after missing four games.
PED suspension
Williams finished the 2023 season with no further issues and had a clean start to 2024. But in Week 8, the NFL announced that the wide receiver had violated the league’s “performance-enhancing substances” policy.
He released the following statement about the violation, which led to a two-game suspension:
This week I was notified by the NFL that I have been suspended for a violation of the Performance Enhancing Substances Policy.
The news came as a complete surprise that I am still trying to understand. I don’t take supplements or vitamins and I am overly cautious about even taking over-the-counter medicine. At no time have I ever taken something in an attempt to cheat or look for an unfair advantage. I understand that I am responsible for everything that goes into my body and I have to take accountability in this instance.
I have nothing but love and respect for this game, my teammates, coaches, the Lions organization and the City of Detroit. It is disappointing to accept this suspension, and it will hurt me to be away from the team as they prepare this week. So out of respect to my teammates, this will be the last time I address this matter.
Williams was sidelined for the team’s Week 8 win over the Tennessee Titans, and he also will miss Detroit’s Week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers.
Gun incident
Williams and his brother were pulled over in Detroit after midnight on Oct. 8, and the Lions WR was placed in handcuffs after police allegedly found an unregistered gun in the car.
Police “told Williams he was going to be taken into custody for carrying a concealed weapon,” ABC 7 News Detroit reported, and Williams was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car.
JUST IN: Detroit police are investigating why Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was released from custody after officers prepared to arrest him over a gun found underneath his seat on the passenger side.
https://t.co/5WHdYc5klu— WXYZ Detroit (@wxyzdetroit) October 29, 2024
Body camera footage revealed Williams told police multiple times that he plays for the Lions, and a police sergeant who arrived on the scene gave the initial officers the green light to release Williams without making an arrest.