Detroit Lions Football Player Dies After Collapsing on Field: ‘Most Heartbreaking Situation Imaginable
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Detroit Lions wide receiver has number retired by his high school.
Jameson Williams, a first-round pick in 2021, was a standout wide receiver at Cardinal Ritter High School in St. Louis
Jameson Williams couldn’t stop smiling.
The Detroit Lions wide receiver returned to his hometown on Friday to have his jersey retired by his high school and from the moment he stepped back into the stadium at Cardinal Ritter College Prep he was greeted by friendly faces.
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During the halftime ceremony to retire his No. 3 jersey – currently worn by standout senior running back Jamarion Parker, a University of Nebraska pledge – Williams soaked it all in, filming a highlight package on the video board with his phone and then recorded the crowd gathered around him on the turf field.
“It’s exciting, it’s amazing,” Williams said. “Seeing some things like this, it’s something that you always dream of as a kid, getting your jersey honored, getting your jersey retired.”
“I’m not gonna lie, I really imagined this on the NFL level,” Williams added. “Maybe this is just the start. I have a goal to get my jersey retired in the NFL one day. So this is just the start to the next level, a stepping stone to the top.”
two touchdowns over his final 12 games.
“I expect a lot more. I want to be the best to ever play the game at my position and I’m just getting started,” Williams told ESPN.com. “I feel like I’ve got a long way to go. I’ve got a lot of stuff to work on and it’s just that. I just keep my head down and keep working. I know I can be better every day at a little something.”
The Detroit Lions went 12-5 a year ago and won two playoff games before losing to the 49ers in the NFC championship game, 34-31. In that game, Williams scored two touchdowns – a 42-yard run in the first quarter and a 3-yard reception in the fourth – and matched his season total.
Now the Lions, and Williams, have higher hopes for the future.
This season, Williams is joined on the Detroit roster with five other players from the greater St. Louis area: tight end Sam LaPorta (Highland High School in Illinois), punter Jack Fox (Ladue High School), rookie sixth-round pick defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo (De Smet High School), rookie undrafted wide receiver Isaiah Williams (Trinity High School) and rookie undrafted offensive lineman Michael Niese (St. Louis University High School).
“Last season we had something going good,” Williams said Friday. “We just have to stay on that track and keep going up, the way we want to go.
We can’t let one bad day or one bad week mess up nothing. We’ve got goals set that we want for ourselves, we work hard, and this Sunday is going to be a showcase against the Rams on Sunday night.”
