Jameson Williams Files Lawsuit Against NCAA After College Football Career

Former college football wide receiver Jameson Williams is suing these three entities over NIL disputes.

Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) catches a pass as Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Coby Bryant (8) | Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The introduction of NIL into college athletics in 2021 ushered in a wave of changes throughout the past five years.

The passage of NIL allowed for athletes to earn profits in the multimillion-dollar business that had long profited off them without paying them. While that change was welcome, the handling of NIL both by the NCAA and universities has also created its fair share of legal troubles.

Instead of using college as a developmental bridge, some athletes now seek to maximize their earnings by staying in college longer as opposed to taking a pay cut in professional leagues. The inability to earn at junior colleges and medical hardships are among the reasons athletes have cited in their fights for extra seasons of eligibility, and these legal matters have pushed the NCAA closer to allowing five years of college eligibility for all athletes.

Both universities and athletes have sued one another on the basis of NIL. Athletes have sued universities regarding broken NIL promises, and universities have sued athletes over breaches of contract following agreements upon NIL extensions.

Former college football wide receiver Jameson Williams inserted himself into the legal activity with a new kind of lawsuit this week.

The California Post reported on Monday that Williams decided to sue the NCAA, Big Ten and SEC over allegations of use of his name, image and likeness without pay. The specific complaint involves the use of his collegiate highlights on both social media posts and television commercials without proper compensation.

“To date, Williams has received no fair compensation from Defendants for the full commercial value of his name, image, and likeness,” Williams’ lawsuit claims, according to The California Post. “Defendants continuously financially benefit from Jameson Williams’ name, image and likeness rights, while also doing so without providing him with just compensation.”

College career

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jameson Williams (6) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2021 CFP National Championship | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-2, 189-pounder from St. Louis ranked as a top 20 wide receiver recruit in the class of 2019 when he committed to Ryan Day and Ohio State.

In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Williams caught 15 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Ohio State made the College Football Playoff in each of Williams' two seasons there, falling to Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship in the latter of the two.

Following the Buckeyes' fall to the Crimson Tide, Williams joined Alabama for the 2021 season. He broke out for 79 receptions, 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, exceeding 100 receiving yards seven times. On special teams, Williams returned 10 kicks for 352 yards and two more touchdowns for the Crimson Tide.

Williams was named a first-teamer on both the All-SEC and All-America teams for his outstanding 2021 season. The SEC named Williams its Co-Special Teams Player of the Year.