Everyone Is Saying Jameson Williams' Suspension Should Be Decreased
With an increase in NFL players being suspended for violating gambling policies, the league is doubling down on efforts to limit those facing significant consequences for not understanding the rules.
According to Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, "The world has changed over the last few years. The availability of our phones and with a couple of touches, and all of a sudden, you can place a bet on many different things was not available a few years ago and is available now."
Second-year wideout Jameson Williams is now forced to miss six games for the Lions, despite indicating he was not fully aware of the rules.
“Just make the right decisions, you know?” Williams told reporters. “It was something I wasn’t aware of that caught me. It was just make the right decisions.”
As a result of the league basically acknowledging players were not fully aware of the rules or were not emphasized enough, supporters of the Lions are clamoring for a decreased suspension for the talented wideout.
While the Lions will not appeal the lengthly suspension, it would go a long way for the league to consider different punishments, given Williams did not bet on NFL games.
Miller also noted in a conference call with reporters, "So, sports gambling has a great deal more presence in people's lives than it did just a few short years ago, which means for us as a sports league -- where integrity of the game is the highest single principle -- that we have to be thoughtful and careful and scrutinize how we share information and educate people around the rules that govern it."
