During the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving victory over the Chicago Bears, wide receiver Jameson Williams made a costly mistake in the closing moments of the game, one that could have jeopardized his team’s late lead.

With the Lions clinging to a narrow advantage, Williams made a catch in the fourth quarter, but instead of handing the ball to the officials, he tossed it at Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson while the two exchanged words on the sideline.

The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that followed pushed the Lions back, resulting in a missed field goal attempt by kicker Jake Bates.

Despite the mistake, the Lions managed to hold on for a 23-20 victory, as the Bears ran out of time on their final drive.

Williams took full responsibility for his actions and apologized to his teammates after the game.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff acknowledged Williams’ accountability, expressing pride in the way the third-year receiver owned up to his error.

“I know that was a mistake by him, but I’m proud of him the way he handled it,” Goff said, according to MLive.com. “He stood up and took responsibility. We’ll move on.”

Williams himself admitted that the penalty was inexcusable, especially in such a crucial moment of the game. With the Lions leading 16-0 at halftime, the Bears had fought back in the second half to bring the game within three points.

The penalty by Williams came at a pivotal moment, just as the Lions were looking to extend their lead.

“We’re trying to win a football game, so those things like that can’t happen,” Williams said after the game. “That’s the main thing.”

This wasn’t the first time Williams had been in the spotlight for personal mistakes.

After missing a large part of his rookie season due to a torn ACL, Williams’ second year was marred by a suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policies, forcing him to miss the first four games.

Though he showed improvement after his return, Williams faced another suspension this season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, missing two games. Despite these setbacks, Williams retained the support of his coaches.

Head coach Dan Campbell expressed confidence in Williams, emphasizing that the suspensions were opportunities for growth. “I think any time you don’t get to play this game, I think you’ll always reflect, and it helps you look at it from a different vantage point.

It hurts, man, it hurts not to play,” Campbell said, via SI.com. “When you don’t have anybody to blame but yourself, it makes you look at yourself a little bit harder.

And so, he’ll be fine, I really believe that, and I do believe he’ll learn from it. He was just out there at our walkthrough we had, man, he’s locked in, ready to go. I think he’s gonna come right out of this, on top.”

Williams appreciated the support and trust from Campbell. “It means a lot. That’s my head coach. I’ve been through a lot playing under him,” Williams said.

“We’ve been through, we’ve bumped heads in certain situations, but now I see his faith in me and all.

He understands what happened and things like that. So, it’s big to me, him having faith in me and being along with me in those situations.”

Despite the mistakes of the past, both Williams and his coaching staff remain hopeful that these experiences will lead to personal growth and better decision-making on the field moving forward.