sports

Title: Jamaal Williams Seeks NFL Comeback After 21-Month Absence

Published on 24/09/2026 02:22 in sports • Ted Simmons

Jamaal Williams, the former Detroit Lions running back, is eager to return to the NFL after a 21-month hiatus. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Williams revealed he recently reached out to Lions head coach Dan Campbell to express his desire for a Comeback. Although Campbell informed him the team is currently set at running back, he assured Williams that the door remains open if circumstances change.

Title: Jamaal Williams Seeks NFL Comeback After 21-Month Absence

Title: Jamaal Williams Seeks NFL Comeback After 21-Month Absence

Williams' passion for football remains unwavering. "Football's my love, man," he stated. "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 success during his two seasons with the Lions in 2021 and 2022, particularly in 2022 when he amassed 1,066 rushing yards and a team-record 17 rushing touchdowns. However, after becoming a fan favorite, he entered free agency and signed with the New Orleans Saints, who had a run game centered around Alvin Kamara. Williams had tryouts with other teams in 2025 but ultimately remained unsigned.

Reflecting on his time in New Orleans, Williams emphasized that there were no hard feelings, simply the realities of the NFL business. "At the time, it was just the Saints who offered what I wanted," he explained. "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."

Williams' motivation now stems from the mental challenge of overcoming doubters. "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," he said, determined to prove himself once again in the NFL.