Williams was born on March 26, 2001, and grew up inSt. Louis, Missouri. He attendedCardinal Ritter College Prep High School and played for their football team. As a junior, Williams caught 36 passes for 1,062 yards and 15 touchdowns and returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.[3][4] He was named an Under Armour All-American after finishing his senior season with 68 receptions for 1,626 yards and 22 touchdowns.[5][6] Williams also ran track at Cardinal Ritter and won back-to-back Class 3 state titles in the 300 meter hurdles and set the state record.[7] He was rated a four-star football prospect and committed to play atOhio State.[8]
Williams began his collegiate career at Ohio State. He caught six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in his freshman season.[11] As a sophomore, Williams started six games and had nine receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns. In the2021 Sugar Bowl, Williams scored a touchdown on a 45-yard reception againstClemson in the College Football Playoffs Semifinal.[12] After the season, Williams announced that he would transfer to Alabama.[13][14] Jameson would finish up his Ohio State career winning 2 Big Ten Championships and a college football Playoff Sugar Bowl win. Jameson Williams went on to play in the 2021 National Championship game against Alabama where the Buckeyes went on to lose 52–24.[15]
Williams high fives a teammate ahead of the 2022 CFP title game
Williams was named a starter for the Crimson Tide going into his first season with the team.[16] He made an instant impact with four receptions for 126 receiving yards and one touchdown in a 44–13 victory overMiami in theChick-fil-A Kickoff Game.[17] He was named theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) Special Teams Player of the Week for week 4 after returning three kickoffs for 177 yards and two touchdowns and also caught an 81-yard touchdown pass in a 63–14 win overSouthern Miss.[18] He had ten receptions for 146 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the 41–38 loss toTexas A&M on October 9.[19] On November 6, he had ten receptions for 160 receiving yards and one touchdown in a 20–14 victory overLSU.[20] One week later, he had six receptions for 158 yards and three touchdowns in a 59–3 victory overNew Mexico State.[21] In the following game, againstArkansas, he had eight receptions for 190 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the 42–35 victory.[22] In theSEC Championship, a 41–24 victory overGeorgia, he had seven receptions for 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns.[23] Williams was named first-team All-SEC and All-American as well as second-team All-SEC as a return specialist[24] and the conference's co-Special Teams Player of the Year.[25][26] Williams suffered atorn ACL in the2022 College Football Playoff National Championship rematch with Georgia.[27] He finished the 2021 season with 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns.[28] He led the SEC in receiving yards, yards per reception, and receiving touchdowns.[29] He declared for the2022 NFL draft following the championship game and began to rehab from the injury.[30] Jameson would finish up his Alabama career with a 2021 Sec Championship, and a 2021 Cotton Bowl win.
Williams was selected by theDetroit Lions in the first round (12th overall) of the2022 NFL draft.[33] The pick was acquired with a second-round pick (used forJosh Paschal) via a trade with theMinnesota Vikings for Detroit's first, second, and third-round picks.[33]
He was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list to start the season on August 23, 2022, due to the torn ACL suffered in college.[34] Williams returned to practice on November 21, 2022, and was activated on December 3, prior to week 13.[35][36] He made his debut against theJacksonville Jaguars, logging zero catches on one target in the Lions 40–14 victory.[37] The next week, his first career reception was a 41-yard receiving touchdown, contributing to a 34–23 victory over the sameMinnesota Vikings team who traded his pick away.[38] In week 17, he had a 40-yard rush in a 41–10 victory over theChicago Bears.[39]
Williams was one of four Lions players suspended for violating the NFL's gambling policy after an investigation by the league. The announcement was made in an NFL press release on April 21, 2023. The other Lions players wereStanley Berryhill,Quintez Cephus, andC. J. Moore. Cephus and Moore were suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games, as wasWashington Commanders defensive endShaka Toney. Williams and Berryhill were suspended for six games due to mobile betting on a college football game that occurred at a hotel room during a team road trip, in violation of league rules.[40][41][42] Williams' ban was lifted on October 3 after only four games, two weeks shorter than originally announced.[43]
In his season debut in week 5 against theCarolina Panthers, Williams caught two passes for two yards while having a dropped pass as well.[44] In week 6 against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams caught two of his three targets for 53 yards, which included a 45-yard touchdown catch.[45] In the 2023 season, Williams appeared in 12 games and started ten. He finished with 24 receptions for 354 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns to go with a rushing touchdown.[46] In the NFC Championship, he had a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the 34–31 loss to the 49ers.[47]
In Week One against the Los Angeles Rams, Williams caught a career-high five passes for 121 yards and one touchdown.[48] Williams was suspended for two games on October 21, 2024, for violating the NFL's Performance-Enhancing Substances policy.[49] On the suspension, Williams stated he was disappointed by the suspension but responded that he had "no choice but to take it on the chin."[50]During Week Nine against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Williams caught four passes and set a new career-high of 124 yards and one touchdown.[51] He finished the season with 58 receptions for 1,001 yards and 7 touchdowns, and 11 rushes for 61 yards and a touchdown.[52] In theDivisional Round game against theWashington Commanders, Williams rushed for a 61-yard touchdown, made one 19-yard reception, and threw oneinterception, ultimately ending in a 31–45 loss.[53]
The Lions picked up the fifth-year option on Williams' contract. On September 6, 2025, Williams signed a three-year contract extension worth up to $83 million.[54]
