Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams stepped up to the podium on Thursday and delivered something fans weren’t expecting: honesty… and an apology.
After his 40-yard touchdown against the Eagles, the highlight of Detroit’s night, Williams famously leaped onto the goalpost and slid down it, earning a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty that pushed Jake Bates’ extra-point attempt back to 48 yards into heavy wind. Bates missed, and the Lions missed out on what would have been a 7–6 lead.
On Thursday, Williams explained the moment, the mistake, and the fallout.
“I Didn’t Know It Was a Penalty”
Williams told reporters he had no idea the celebration was illegal.
“I really didn’t know it was a penalty until I sat down on the bench and I seen the field goal team going out,” he said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “I apologized to Jake, I apologized to Jack, I apologize to coach, everybody. I didn’t look at it like that… I felt like it was my fault in the moment.”
Williams added that his teammates told him it wasn’t his fault, but the 23-year-old admitted it still felt like it was.
“We just gotta make plays and have to be smarter,” he said.
Moving Forward: ‘I Will Move Past It’
When asked whether this is a repeated issue, Williams pushed back.
“You think it’s something I do like often?” he said with a laugh. “I feel like I only got it one time this year. It’s something I can control for sure, but I will move past it. It’s a new week, we got a new game and that’s just that.”
Detroit will certainly appreciate the accountability and the reminder that even explosive playmakers need occasional growth moments.
Dave Fipp: The Kick Is the Kick — No Excuses
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said he didn’t feel the need to address the penalty with Williams. He saw head coach Dan Campbell pull Jamo aside, so he knew it was handled.
More importantly, Fipp kept the focus on execution.
“The truth is I saw him coming off the field and I saw Dan talked to him, so I knew I didn’t have to say anything,” Fipp said. “They say ‘field goal,’ then we go out there and kick a field goal. The ball’s on the 30, it’s on the 30… and it really doesn’t matter.”
He didn’t excuse the missed kick, either.
“I don’t get too caught up in the ‘I can’t believe that happened to us.’ Our job is to go out there and make the kick,” he said. “If we go out there and make the kick, then we’re not even worried about it… We didn’t execute on the kick and that was unfortunate.”
Fipp also pointed out that Bates’ late 54-yarder, a tough ask in that stadium, was just as significant.
Bottom Line
Williams owned the mistake, apologized to everyone involved, and vowed to clean it up. Campbell addressed it. Fipp downplayed it. And now the Lions move forward.
Jamo made the play everyone will remember, and the mistake everyone will talk about, but now he has an opportunity to rewrite the story on Sunday.
If he does, nobody will care about one slip down a goalpost.
