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The Detroit Lions officially will be without one of their most dynamic players for the next two weeks.
Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams announced through his agent that he will not appeal his two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy, ruling him out for the team’s Week 8 and 9 matchups against the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers:
In his statement, Williams denied any wrongdoing and said the news of his violation “came as a complete surprise.” He added that he does not intend to address the matter further “out of respect for my teammates.”
Williams was allowed to continue practicing with the Lions until Wednesday while the league’s ruling on his suspension still wasn’t official.
“I trust this kid. I trust him. And unfortunately, you’ve got to pay for your sins,” Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday. “If something happens and this comes down, so be it.”
This is the second straight season that Williams will miss time for breaking the rules, as he was also suspended for four games in the 2023 season for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Williams ranks second on the Lions with 17 catches, 361 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared to be on pace for a breakout year in his third season, as he ranks second in the NFL with an average of 21.2 yards per catch.
Campbell added that he still believes Williams has grown from his past incidents despite this latest setback.
“He’s matured so much, and I get it, I understand where it’s at. I know it can be frustrating,” Campbell said. “Look, it’s frustrating for us and it’s frustrating because I’ve got to answer these questions and the team is going to have to answer them when they shouldn’t have to, but ultimately, he’s taken huge strides. He’s made huge strides, and I recognize that and I think the team recognizes that. So, I think he’s going to come back better than he was before.”
Brady Henderson, ESPNNov 15, 2024, 06:44 PM ETCloseBrady Henderson is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Henderson covers the Seattle Seahawks. He joined ESPN i
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