8 thoughts to end the week as Lions prepare to play the Titans
Allen Park — Here are eight thoughts to end the week as the Detroit Lions prepare to play the Tennessee Titans.
Check the report(ing)
Let’s have a conversation about Jameson Williams, or more appropriately, a conversation about listening to and spreading unverified information.
I understand the desire to want to know more details about what triggered his suspension. As a reporter, I also want to know, even if I've hit wall after wall with my initial efforts to uncover that information. Was it a stimulant or an over-the-counter cold medication? Was it an intentional decision or an innocent accident? Context would help understand the level of concern.
Williams’ statement, released through his agent on Thursday, pled ignorance but accepted responsibility. There’s an incongruency there, but you have to understand these statements are self-serving, designed to control the narrative. Somewhat frustratingly, it closes by saying this will be the last time he’ll talk about the issue.
That doesn’t mean he won’t be asked about it once he returns from suspension, but unless he and his agent reverse course and decide to share more details, there’s a reasonable chance we’ll never know.
We’re left to rely on coach Dan Campbell’s reaction to the news, and given his emphatic and repeated emphasis on trusting Williams, it can be interpreted as an encouraging sign.
It’s not a hot take to say Williams has battled maturity concerns since arriving in Detroit. He’s also done a lot of growing up during that time. It speaks volumes how much he’s won over a locker room that wasn’t all in on him when he first arrived.