Suspended Lions WR was not aware of NFL gambling policy

The NFL suspended five players in April for violating the league's gambling policy, including Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Williams addressed that suspension publicly for the first time on Thursday and admitted, via ESPN, that he was not aware of the league's gambling policy and that he did not knowingly violate it. 

He also said that he has no idea when the violation actually occurred.

Williams was suspended after he was flagged for making a mobile bet from the team's training facility at Allen Park. The NFL's policy states that players are allowed to place bets on other sports, but they are not allowed to do so in team facilities. 

Williams said he was "sick" when he found out about the suspension, and insisted that he's a football player "not a gambler."

Williams was hit with a six-game suspension for violating the policy and will be eligible to make his 2023 debut when the Lions play the Baltimore Ravens on October 22. 

He was sidelined for a significant chunk of the 2022 season as he continued to recover from a torn ACL that he suffered in college.

He was targeted on nine passes after making his debut, catching one pass for 41 yards. 

The Lions are expected to take a big step forward this season in the NFC North with the hope that Williams could become a star. He still might, but the Lions will have to wait a couple of months before that happens.