Jameson Williams' second season with the Detroit Lions has been put on hold.
The 2022 first-rounder was one of four Lions players to be suspended by the NFL on Friday for violating the league's gambling policy.
Safety C.J. Moore and wide receiver Quintez Cephus were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games during the 2022 season and then released by the Lions. Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney also received an indefinite suspension for betting on NFL contests.
Williams and fellow Lions wide receiver Stanley Berryhill, meanwhile, were only suspended for six games. Williams' agency, Alliance Sports, offered an explanation for why its client got a six-game ban and how Williams' situation differed from Moore's, Cephus' and Toney's.
"Alliance Sports confirms that its client, Jameson Williams, has been suspended by the NFL for six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy," Alliance Sports said in a statement. "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 NFL's policy prohibits players and personnel from gambling on NFL games or gambling from league facilities. The Lions said in their statement on Friday that Williams and Berryhill placed bets on non-NFL games from a team facility, leading to a six-game ban instead of a season-long one.
The league said its review “uncovered no evidence indicating any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way.”
NFL
Williams was a top receiver prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Lions traded up to the No. 12 spot to select him. He did not make his NFL debut until Week 13 after recovering from a torn ACL suffered while playing for Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Williams only caught one pass in his rookie season, but he made it count. He hauled in a 41-yard touchdown in the first quarter of a Week 14 win against the Minnesota Vikings.