The Detroit Lions were dealt a significant blow to their 2023 season on Friday, April 21 with news of four players being suspended by the NFL for gambling related offenses.
Wideouts Quintez Cephus, Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams along with safety C.J. Moore were all suspended by the league. Cephus and Moore were suspended indefinitely along with Washington Commanders defender Shaka Toney. Williams and Berryhill were suspended for six games.
The reason? Cephus, Moore and Toney bet on NFL games. Williams and Berryhill bet on non-NFL games from an NFL facility, which carries a lesser punishment.
In the aftermath of the news, the internet was exploding with takes about the situation. Mostly, many folks couldn’t believe players would be suspended for a location of a bet.
“Wait so Jameson Williams is getting suspended 6 games for legally betting on a sport he’s not playing? NFL has suspended actual domestic abusers for fewer games. Crazy,” Hamilton tweeted.
Barstool Sports’ Dan Katz at first didn’t understand why there would be a punishment, but seemed to think the players who bet on the legal non-football games were making a dumb move by not finding a place to go.
Ok I see it’s the doing at a team facility that’s the real problem? That then becomes just an idiotic move by the Lions players. If that’s the only stipulation you have to be a moron to not just hop in your car and drive down the street
“Ok I see it’s the doing at a team facility that’s the real problem? That then becomes just an idiotic move by the Lions players. If that’s the only stipulation you have to be a moron to not just hop in your car and drive down the street,” Katz tweeted.
Lions fans, of course, were not handling the news well. Already, many decided to turn their attention to the NFL draft, and what wideouts the team could look to in the absence of Williams.
Will the Lions draft a WR in the 1st or 2nd round?
“Will the Lions draft a WR in the 1st or 2nd round?,” the site tweeted. Many in the comments seemed to think the team didn’t need to make a panic move at the position even without Williams in the fold.
A fan named Matt Ryder put it very simply. He doesn’t want to see fans slandering Williams, even after news of the situation became public.
Stop slandering Jameson Williams.
“Stop slandering Jameson Williams,” Ryder tweeted.
While many were frustrated with Williams and wanting to give up on him, Twitter user Lions Royalty made a good point. It’s probably not a good idea to give up on a talented player who made one mistake, even though the situation is frustrating.
“I’m not gonna demand the Lions release a young talented player who (apparently) bet on a college basketball game… Still sucks though,” the account tweeted.
The Lions, however they choose to respond in the draft or otherwise, will have to pick up the pieces now, and ponder life without Williams for six games in 2023. It’s important to point out he also missed most of the 2022 season rehabbing an ACL injury, so the team has been accustomed to living life without Williams.
Lions Released Quintez Cephus, C.J. Moore
Following the reveal of the news, the Lions made some news of their own. Two of the four players that were involved in the betting situation were released from the team.
Cephus and Moore, who had been suspended indefinitely by the NFL for betting on football games, were both released by Detroit on the heels of the news, and general manager Brad Holmes wasted no time explaining why the discipline was handed down as it was.
As Holmes said, the players that bet on NFL games violated the team’s values off the field as well as league rules, which left them little room for a second chance in this instance.
#Lions release WR Quintez Cephus and S C.J. Moore; WR Stanley Berryhill and WR Jameson Williams suspended by NFL: t.co/BV7NFiB9vs
“As a result of an NFL investigation, it came to our attention that a few of our players had violated the league’s gambling policy,” said Detroit Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes. “These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules. We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately. We are disappointed by the decision making demonstrated by Stanley and Jameson and will work with both players to ensure they understand the severity of these violations and have clarity on the league rules moving forward,” the statement read.
Clearly, the team thinks this can be a good teaching moment for Williams, a player that they hope can mature and use this as a lesson for the future. With the move to release the others, it’s clear that the team is sending a zero-tolerance message for the rest of their players.
Jameson Williams’ Agency Issues Response
Williams and his camp were not silent after the story broke. Alliance Sports, the agency that represents the Detroit wideout, quickly revealed a statement which explained some of the inner-workings of the decision.
Jordan Schultz of Score posted the statement, which confirmed that Williams was suspended for six games given he did not bet on football. Williams apparently placed a bet at the team facility, which was against the rules. Clearly, based on the statement, he feels remorse.
Statement from Rocky Arceneaux, Jameson Williams’ agent @AllianceSports:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2023
Alliance Sports confirms that its client, Jameson Williams, has been suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. Jameson takes full…
“Alliance Sports confirms that its client, Jameson Williams, has been suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. Jameson takes full responsibility for his actions and is very apologetic to the NFL, his teammates and the fans and city of Detroit. However, it is important to note that Jameson’s violation was not for betting on football but rather due to a technical rule regarding the actual location in which the online bet was placed – and which would otherwise be allowed by the NFL outside of the club’s facility. Jameson would never intentionally jeopardize the integrity of the game he loves so much and looks forward to getting back to his team as soon as possible,” the release read as Schultz showed in a tweet.
Williams will now be forced to sit and watch as his team starts the 2023 season without him on the field.
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Lions Fans Rallying Around Jameson Williams After Major NFL Suspension