How Lions’ Star Wideouts Are Handling Disappointing Season

St. Brown, Williams have had hard time dealing with Lions missing playoffs.

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0), Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) celebrate after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions’ late-season slide has not only eliminated the team from playoff contention, but it has also cast a noticeable shadow over the high-level production of the franchise’s star wide receivers: Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. 

For a team that has grown accustomed to playing meaningful football deep into December, the sudden shift to games without postseason implications has been jarring, especially for two players who have been integral to Detroit’s winning ways.

Williams, for one, has quietly put together the most productive season of his young career. 

Since Detroit’s Week 8 bye, the Alabama product has recorded at least 70 receiving yards in six of nine games, while finding the end zone five times during that same span. He also sits second on the team in both receiving yards (1,043) and receiving touchdowns (seven), and ranks 11th among all receivers in total yards and third in the NFL in yards per reception (17.7).

And for Williams’ efforts this season, he was named a Pro Bowl alternate.

Those personal achievements, however, don’t make up for the harsh reality that Detroit will be sitting home this postseason. 

“It’s hard to process because we got great players and a great coaching staff and we do the right things,” the fourth-year wideout told reporters Thursday. “But, it’s just a part of the game, like I said earlier. We can’t harp on it, it is what it is. We just got to come back and go harder next year.”

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) celebrates a touchdown with wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Williams’ development as an all-around receiver — improved route running, better chemistry with Jared Goff and increased trust from the coaching staff — has been one of the Lions’ few bright spots in 2025. Yet, the lack of team success has muted the national spotlight that typically follows such growth.

As for St. Brown, the frustration cuts even deeper. The All-Pro wideout has rarely experienced games without playoff stakes during his Lions tenure, making this late-season reality unfamiliar and unwelcome. 

Statistically, St. Brown remains at the top of his game. He was recently named to his fourth straight Pro Bowl, and is in the midst of his third consecutive campaign with north of 105 catches (106), at least 1,262 receiving yards and 10-plus touchdown catches (11). Plus, he currently is fifth in the league in both receptions and receiving yards, and is tied for the second-most TD catches with tight ends Dallas Goedert and Trey McBride.

St. Brown didn’t mince words this week about the disappointing nature of playing the divisional rival Bears in Week 18 without a playoff berth being on the line. 

“It sucks, man,” the fifth-year pro expressed. “I was telling one of our other teammates, I feel like I haven’t played, you can say meaningless games, not meaningless but a game that doesn’t really have any playoff implications, I haven’t played a game like this in a while since I’ve been here. So, I’m not used to it. It does suck. I don’t think any of us wanted to be in this position. But, we put ourselves into this. We can’t blame no one else but ourselves.”