On Sunday morning, the Detroit Lions announced they had signed wide receiver Jameson Williams to a contract extension that could keep the former Alabama All-American with the NFL team through the 2029 season. On Sunday afternoon, the Lions lost their season-opening game 27-13 to the Green Bay Packers, with Williams contributing four receptions for 23 yards and 3 yards on a rushing attempt.
On Monday, Williams said he is grateful for the new deal with Detroit and eager to get on to better showings the season. Terms were not disclosed, but reports indicated the extension could be worth up to $87 million.
“It means a lot,” Williams said. “I’m excited. Like I said, thankful to the organization, my people that got it handled and everything. So I’m just ready to keep playing the season now.”
The Lions had Williams under contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. But Detroit moved to extend its deal with the wide receiver after Williams had 58 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns and 11 rushing attempts for 61 yards and one touchdown in 2024. Williams also had a 61-yard touchdown run in the Lions’ 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in the second round of the NFC playoffs on Jan. 18.
In his first two seasons after joining Detroit as the 12th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Williams produced 391 yards and three touchdowns on 25 receptions and 69 yards and one touchdown on four rushing attempts in 18 regular-season games and six receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown and 42 yards and one touchdown on one rushing attempt in three playoff contests.
“I never doubt myself,” Williams said about his first two seasons. “Never.”
Williams missed the first nine games of his rookie season because of a knee injury sustained in his final game at Alabama. In 2023, Williams served an NFL-imposed gambling suspension for the first four games. In 2024, he served a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances.
Williams said he appreciated Lions general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell for their unwavering support.
“Those are the guys that’s behind me,” Williams said, “the guys I play for, the guys that love me, and I love them. We go out there and lay it on the line for the coach and the front office every week, every day at practice. So it feels good seeing those guys have faith in me. That’s the main thing. So feeling good going into the season.”
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Against Green Bay, Detroit had four possessions that lasted nine or more snaps and advanced at least to the Packers 16-yard line. The first three of those series produced two field goals and an interception. The Lions scored their touchdown with 55 seconds to play.
“I think we beat ourselves in this game,’ Williams said. “We just got to execute when we get down there. We had long drives, just got to finish.”
Last season, Detroit produced the best regular-season record in the NFC at 15-2. The Lions will try to get their first victory of 2025 when they play another NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears, at noon CDT Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit.
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