The father of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams opened up on Saturday about the criticism his son has received amid the suspension for violating the NFL’s policies on gambling and other incidents.
The second-year receiver received a six-game ban in May. He was one of a handful of players who received suspensions for the 2023 season. Some others have received season-long punishments.
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According to MLive.com, the 22-year-old wide receiver also faced criticism for fighting fireworks in one of Detroit's toughest areas.
James Williams spoke to MLive.com about his son and the suspension while he and his family were setting up for a football and skills camp at Chandler Parker Academy in Harper Woods, Michigan.
"Honestly, he signed up for this," the elder Williams told the outlet. "You know, what comes with great praise, it’s going to come with greater criticism. And that just goes along with the game. You know, not everybody’s going to love you. Not everybody’s going to hate you.
"So, I mean, we’re not really tripping off of that.
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"I mean, the media’s going to be the media. The media has to do their job and that’s understandable. So it’s gotta be something good (or) It’s gotta be something bad."
Detroit took Williams with the No. 12 pick of the 2022 draft. The Alabama product tore his ACL in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship against Georgia, which slightly hurt his draft stock.
The injury forced him to miss the first 11 games of the season, but when he got back on the field, he showed his big-play ability — his first NFL reception was a 41-yard touchdown.
Williams only got nine targets on the season, and that touchdown was his only reception; he also had a 40-yard rush.
The Lions went 9-8 last season and were vying for a playoff spot up until the Seattle Seahawks knocked them out in Week 18.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
