The Detroit Lions are dealing with plenty of rough injury news over the last few days, and perhaps the worst might revolve around a player who has already been out for a month with a concussion.
Wide receiver Tyrell Williams has been sidelined since Week 1 with the brain injury, and he hasn’t made quick progress at all. Eligible to come off injured reserve now, it doesn’t appear as if Williams is going to be making his return according to Dan Campbell.
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On Tuesday, October 12, Campbell went on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit and admitted that Williams’ return probably isn’t going to happen just yet. As he said on air as shared by Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, the return for Williams remains in the distance.
On 97.1, Dan Campbell said Tyrell Williams returning doesn’t look good right now. “It’s off in the distance.”
It’s been over a month since Williams sustained the injury, so to not see him returning is scary for the Lions and Williams. The team will be able to get by even without their top wideout Quintez Cephus now lost to a collarbone injury, but the concern lies with the overall health of Williams.
Concussions have been a hot-button issue in the NFL during the last few years, so to see a player sidelined with one for over a month is bad news. The hope is that Williams is taking his time to recover and his timeline is simply different that others in terms of healing and not indicative of a more serious issue.
Williams Sidelined Since Week 1 Injury
How did the injury happen? Williams was hit with a high shot in the first game of the year by Jaquiski Tartt, who was penalized with a 15 yard personal foul call for the play. Tartt is also likely to get looked at for a fine as well, and that’s especially true given the injury Williams sustained as a direct result of the play.
On Monday, September 13, Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed to reporters including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that Williams was now in concussion protocol. He’s remained sidelined ever since.
Lions WR Tyrell Williams is in concussion protocol
Williams was unable to finish the game, and has been at the mercy of the league’s concussion protocol in terms of when he can return to practice. Obviously, health personally and professionally is the goal first and foremost, but it has been a while since Williams has been healthy.
Williams’ NFL Stats and Highlights
Williams came into the NFL in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Western Oregon of the Los Angeles Chargers. He stayed there for the first four seasons of his career before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2019, a spot he stayed for the last two seasons. In terms of production, Williams has bucked the odds for an undrafted free agent in the league, putting up 3,181 yards and 23 touchdowns. Injuries have intervened in his last two seasons, with a foot ailment in 2019 slowing his season and a torn labrum playing a role in 2020. With this in mind, Williams may have to take more of a “prove it” type deal, which is just what the Lions ended up giving him for this season.
Here’s a look at some of Williams’ greatest hits in the league:
Considering his path, health was always going to be the most important variable for Williams in Detroit. The hope is he can be alright and return whenever he feels better for the Lions.
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Tyrell Williams’ Return ‘in the Distance’ After Scary Injury Situation