Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is facing new questions about his judgment over a viral video from his Fourth of July celebration.
A video that Williams posted on Instagram in the early morning hours of July 5 showed him lighting fireworks to celebrate Independence Day. Though the video did not appear to show Williams being unusually reckless, some commenters believed it was an unnecessary risk to light explosives, especially for an athlete who relies on his hands.
“I get it, Merica and Freedom but I’d leave the explosives to the professionals, especially if you make your money with your hands,” tweeted Jim Costa, a Lions reporter for 97.1 The Ticket.
The Lions receiver will be missing the first six games of the season after being suspended for violating the league’s gambling rules, a punishment that led to criticism of his judgment. The new video has sparked criticism toward Williams, though others defended his celebration.
Texter passed it along… Jameson Williams last night at 1:15 shooting off Fireworks
I get it, Merica and Freedom but I’d leave the explosives to the professionals, especially if you make your money with your hands
Fans Recall Notorious Fireworks Injury
In a second tweet, which addressed tweeters who criticized him for calling out Williams, Costa recalled memories of the fireworks-related accident that sidelined pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul, who suffered a serious hand injury on July 4, 2015, and had part of his hand amputated.
“Some of you have never heard of JPP and it shows,” Costa wrote.
Costa noted a concern about Williams suffering the same kind of fate as Pierre-Paul, who eventually recovered and played eight more seasons in the NFL.
“I loved the Jamo pick, think he got suspended by a dumb rule,” Costa wrote. “Hoping for a massive breakout this season. I just don’t want to see anything else derail the start to his career.”
But others defended the Lions wide receiver, saying he wasn’t being unsafe and suggesting that local media is too tough on him.
“The way Detroit Media has been treating Jameson Williams is disgusting,” one fan tweeted. “They’re actively trying to force him out of Detroit. We need new beat [writers]. It’s way past time.”
Others said it should be perfectly normal for a player to celebrate the holiday and spend time with their loved ones.
“Jamo was living his life last night,” a fan tweeted. “The Lions can’t have this. He needs to be locked in a training facility every day until camp. They need to glue his eyes open while he looks at film and he needs to catch 2,000 balls a day. We can’t have players out here celebrating holidays.”
Lions Receiver Criticized for ‘Maturity’ Issues
Williams has already faced increased scrutiny after his gambling suspension, especially when he encountered some early struggles in team practices. Jeremy Reisman of SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit noted some growing concerns about Williams, both physically and mentally.
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.”
“Obviously, the six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling rules puts a bit of a damper on expectations for Williams’ second year,” Reisman wrote. “The suspension will not only cost the team six games of Williams’ potential contributions, but it has also raised some questions about his maturity—some fair, some not so much.”
Reisman added that Williams will miss out on some valuable chances to develop chemistry with quarterback Jared Goff due to the gambling suspension.
“Beyond that, Williams’ game still looks a bit unrefined based on OTAs and minicamp,” Reisman wrote. “His chemistry with Goff is still clearly not there, there were issues with drops, and there are nuances to route running he’s still trying to learn.”
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Lions WR Jameson Williams in Hot Water Over Viral Fourth of July Video