A player averaging 21.2 yards per catch – second-best in the NFL behind only Colts’ Alec Pierce – should be making headlines for his explosive plays. Instead, Detroit Lions‘ Jameson Williams finds himself caught in another web of suspension, as reported by ESPN’s Eric Woodyard on October 21, 2024.

The rising star faces a two-game suspension after testing positive for creatine monohydrate, violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances (PES) policy. Like a record stuck on repeat, Williams’ promising career hits another roadblock just as he was finding his stride in the Lions’ offense.

“I’m in good spirits just ready to get back with my brothers ASAP soon as possible,” Jameson Williams told ESPN. His words carry an air of resignation mixed with hope as he admits he has “no choice but to take it on the chin.”

The 23-year-old’s NFL story reads like a cautionary tale. After missing 11 games of his rookie season due to an ACL injury from college, Williams faced a gambling suspension in 2023. That four-game ban – reduced from six after the NFL tweaked its rules – came after he placed bets on non-NFL games from club facilities.

Just when it seemed the No. 12 overall pick from Alabama had turned a corner in 2024, with career-highs of 361 yards and three touchdowns on 17 catches, this PES violation throws another wrench in his progress. His last game before the news broke showed the cruel irony of football – a single catch for minus-4 yards in Detroit’s nail-biting 31-29 victory over Minnesota.

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The Lions’ offensive puzzle missing a key piece

The timing couldn’t be more challenging for the red-hot Lions (5-1). Their four-game winning streak has them perched atop the NFC North, but now they must reconfigure their passing attack without their No. 2 receiver behind All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Enter veterans, Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond. Patrick has already carved out a solid role as Detroit’s No. 3 option this season. With Isaiah Williams and Allen Robinson also on deck, the Lions’ receiving corps runs deeper than many realize.

The offense that’s been lighting up scoreboards will need these weapons to step up. Williams won’t be eligible to return until the Lions face the Houston Texans on Nov. 10, as reported in the source materials.

This suspension serves as a stark reminder of the NFL’s strict stance on PES violations. League rules allow for up to 24 annual PES tests, checking for everything from anabolic steroids to gene doping. Now Williams joins the list of cautionary examples, alongside recent cases like Rams‘ QB Jimmy Garoppolo‘s two-game suspension for using prescribed medication without proper exemption.