Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams got a 15-yard taunting penalty on Sunday against the Bears, and from a coach’s standpoint it could have been particularly frustrating because it was the second time this season Williams was flagged for taunting Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson: Williams also got a penalty for taunting Stevenson when the teams met on Thanksgiving.
But while Lions coach Dan Campbell might have been frustrated at seeing Williams make the same mistake twice, Campbell defended Williams after the game.
Campbell talked to Williams on the sideline after the penalty and said Williams responded exactly the way he wants a player to respond after committing a penalty.
“He was great. He was great,” Campbell said. “Came over and it’s just, ‘Look, you can’t give them a free ride.’ He knew. It’s just, ‘Get it out of the way and get back on the field.’ And he was good. That’s what I love about him. He doesn’t get bent out of shape, he just, ‘I got it.’ And he goes back in and it doesn’t affect the way he played the rest of the game. He was great. I love where he’s at right now. I really do.”
It’s easy for Campbell to love what Williams did on Sunday because Williams caught five passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. A lesser player getting repeated 15-yard penalties wouldn’t be tolerated. Williams is playing well enough that Campbell is willing to look the other way on some mental mistakes.
