Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams had an abbreviated rookie season as he recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in his final game at Alabama.
His second season got off to a late start as he served an NFL-imposed suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Williams started his third season on time on Sunday night, and he was ready out of the gate.
Williams had five receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown and a 13-yard run in the Lions’ 26-20 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Rams.
“I never got a game ball,” Williams said while holding one after the victory. “Not at Bama, not a nowhere. I ain’t even going to lie, this thing right here might not leave my hands. I might sleep like this.”
Williams caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff as Detroit took a 17-3 lead with 10:29 left in the third quarter.
Williams recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career. His previous high had been 69 yards.
“Me, personally, I expected to have a big game,” Williams said. “I guess it’s just big to the world because it’s my first one. But I plan to have a lot more. I don’t plan on this being the best game of my career. I plan on this just being the start of me being me.”
Williams was among the 40 former Alabama players who got on the field on the first Sunday of the NFL’s 105th season.
Four other former Alabama players were involved in the Los Angeles-Detroit game:
· Terrion Arnold started at cornerback for the Lions. Arnold made eight tackles in his NFL debut. Arnold joined Detroit in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25.
· Brian Branch started at safety for the Lions. Branch made seven tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up three passes.
· Rams tight end Miller Forristall is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 40 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries and caught four passes for 34 yards. Gibbs scored on a 1-yard run as Detroit took a 10-3 lead with 1:57 left in the first half.
