The NFL’s Week 3 accountability report added another costly entry to the Detroit Lions’ growing fine total, and this time Jameson Williams was the player in the spotlight.
Williams was fined $23,417 for a hit that came late in Detroit’s 31-24 win over the New York Jets. With 1:53 left in the third quarter, he caught a pass from Jared Goff, then lowered his helmet into Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, creating helmet-to-helmet contact and knocking Williams’ helmet off. The league classified the play as unnecessary roughness for "use of the helmet."
Even after the hit, the sequence kept going. Williams got back to his feet without his helmet and flexed in celebration while Thomas rose from the turf.
Detroit still closed out the victory and moved to 2-1, which leaves the Lions tied for second with the Chicago Bears in the NFC North. Williams finished the game with four catches for 49 yards.
This was not Williams’ first fine of the season. He was already docked twice in the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, when he drew an $11,941 fine for taunting in the second quarter and another $14,926 fine for illegal celebrations and vulgar acts in the third quarter.
The Lions’ fine tally from that Bills game didn’t stop with Williams. Amon-Ra St. Brown was fined four separate times at $14,972 apiece for "Illegal celebrations and vulgar acts," adding up to $59,704, while Penei Sewell and Jahmyr Gibbs each also picked up $14,972 fines for "Illegal celebrations and vulgar acts" in the third quarter.
Detroit is back in action on Sunday, Oct. 4, when it visits the Carolina Panthers for NBC's "Sunday Night Football" at 8:20 p.m. ET.
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