Lions WR Jameson Williams punched teammate Starling Thomas as training camp fights escalate: Report
Jameson Williams, who will be suspended for the first six games of the NFL season due to violating the gambling policy, is off to a rough start at training camp. Fighting has been rampant at the onset of camp, though not exclusively for the Detroit Lions.
Williams recorded two drops and struggled to get anything going while matched up with the cornerbacks in one-on-one practice. After Starling Thomas forced an incompletion that was intended for Williams, the wide receiver threw a punch at him.
Lions WR Jameson Williams has been struggling today:
- Dropped two passes earlier
- Struggled in 1 on 1’s
- Threw a punch at rookie DB Starling Thomas after he forced an incompletion and started talking to Williams pic.twitter.com/YS3u8jTVQD
It doesn't appear as if the fight escalated much beyond that. Thomas was talking at Williams after making the play on the pass and the second-year wide receiver took issue with it.
Training camp fights have been occurring across the league. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce fought with several teammates, including a defender who gave a bit of a late hit on a touchdown reception by Kelce.
The Cleveland Browns experienced a brawl themselves. Ogbo Okoronkwo hit James Hudson III and set off a team skirmish. This incident with Jameson Williams and his Lions' teammate will not be the last incident, either.
Jameson Williams headed for suspension
The NFL continues to crack down on gambling. They've suspended several players indefinitely and others will serve out their punishments at the beginning of the season, Jameson Williams included.
This comes after Calvin Ridley lost a full season to gambling. The NFL has only gotten more strict since then, so any player caught now is subject to potentially serious punishments.
Gambling in sports continues to become more accessible to the general public, but it creates a worrying issue for athletes and coaches themselves. Naturally, they'd want to win, but each league wants to ensure they do their best to do so and not place money on their own games.