Jamaal Williams Reaches Out to Dan Campbell in Bid to Revive Career with Lions

Twenty-one months after his last NFL appearance, former Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams is actively seeking another opportunity to return to the league. Williams recently reached out directly to Lions head coach Dan Campbell to express his desire to make an NFL comeback.

According to the Detroit Free Press, while Campbell indicated that the team currently has its plans set at the running back position, he reassured Williams that Detroit will keep him in mind should circumstances change.

“Football’s my love, man,” Williams told the publication. “I want to finish off right. It’s just something about knowing what your first love is and mine so happened to be a professional sport, and knowing that you’re not going to be able to play it forever I just want to make sure that I have no regrets on me working hard, doing what I need to do to get to my dream one more time.”

Williams enjoyed significant success and became a fan favorite during his two seasons with Detroit in 2021 and 2022. His elite 2022 campaign was particularly memorable, as he recorded 1,066 rushing yards and a team-record 17 rushing touchdowns.

However, when Williams entered free agency the following year, the Lions chose to sign David Montgomery, leaving Williams to sign with the New Orleans Saints. He found himself in a run game tailored around star Alvin Kamara, where he struggled to fit in.

In 2025, Williams participated in tryouts with a few teams, but unfortunately, no agreements materialized.

“At the time, it was just the Saints who offered what I wanted,” Williams explained to the outlet. “They gave it to me and I ended up there. And that’s pretty much it. There’s no personal feelings, no hard feelings. It’s the NFL, it’s part of business. That’s all.

“It really started dwelling on my mental of you hearing people tell you what you feel like you can’t do. And you know what you can do, you just need the opportunity.”

Source link