Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will be missing the first six games of the season after being hit with a suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy — a rule the former first-round pick said he didn’t know existed.
Williams broke his silence on the suspension, speaking at length to reporters on May 25 about the circumstances. The 22-year-old said he did not remember where he had gambled or what he bet on.
“I wasn’t aware of this situation,” Williams said, via The Associated Press.
Williams added that he had no idea the punishment was coming down.
“It hit me out the blue,” he said. “And, it hit a couple other players around the league and on my team out the blue.”
Though he had an abbreviated rookie season and will be missing significant time to start his second, Williams still appears to be a major part of Detroit’s plans for the future and has the endorsement of his head coach.
Jameson Williams: ‘I Was Hurt’
Williams was one of four Lions players suspended by the NFL in April for violating gambling rules — along with fellow receivers Quintez Cephus and Stanley Berryhill and safety C.J. Moore. Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney was also suspended.
As NFL.com reported, both Williams and Berryhill were suspended for six games, while Cephus, Moore and Toney were suspended indefinitely and could not apply for reinstatement until after the 2023 season.
Though Williams maintained that he was not aware of the rule he violated, he took responsibility for his actions.
Jameson Williams says he wasn’t aware of the rule he violated. Says it took him by surprise. But he’s taking it on the chin and moving forward.
“I’m not a gambler. I’m a football player.”
“I broke a policy,” he told reporters on Thursday. “I pretty much looked past those things.”
Shortly after the suspensions were first announced, NBC Sports Chicago shared a lengthy statement released by Williams’ agency, Alliance Sports, saying he took full responsibility. The statement added that he was “very apologetic to the NFL, his teammates and the fans and city of Detroit.” It also noted that Williams did not bet on football, and instead was suspended because he placed a bet inside the team facility.
Speaking to reporters this week, Williams added that he was devastated at his suspension.
“I was sick,” he added. “I was hurt.”
Lions Have High Hopes for Jameson Williams
Despite the setback, the Lions still see plenty of potential in Williams. He appeared in just six games his rookie year after tearing his ACL in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship, ending the season with 41 total receiving yards.
But Lions head coach Dan Campbell praised Williams for the work he had put in this offseason, saying he has made some impressive progress.
“We’re already miles ahead with him,” Cambell said, via NFL.com. “We didn’t get this with him last year; he wasn’t able to do any of it. So that in itself is like, man, just to be able to build from the ground up, not the season, he’s already in.”
Cambell added that he is confident that Williams will continue to get better as he puts in more work.
“Here we go, three weeks, four weeks, you see progress. So I think that’s just it. Let’s get him better. He’s got a lot of room to grow and develop, and he needs this, this time. I think that’s what it’s about, man. We’ve got to sharpen every little thing with him, sharpen the routes, sharpen all of it — like any of the guys — but just get him as much time on task as we can at different positions.”
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Lions’ Jameson Williams Breaks Silence on Suspension: ‘Out of the Blue’