Less than two minutes into Sunday's game, Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams caught a five-yard pass from Jared Goff with Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson in coverage. Stevenson's hit seemed a little late/out of bounds, and Williams drew a taunting penalty after appearing to spin the ball in front of Stevenson.
It was nothing like what happened on Thanksgiving Day, when Stevenson (who was not even in the game) tripped Williams as he went out of bounds. Williams threw the ball at Stevenson, hitting the Bears' corner flush in the face. Williams drew the on-field penalty for taunting, but Stevenson drew nearly a $20,000 fine for the incident.
Sunday's plan drew Williams a talking to from head coach Dan Campbell. After the game, Campbell said he was impressed with how Williams put the play behind him.
"He was great. He was,” Campbell said. “He came over and it was like, ‘Look, you just can’t give him a free ride.’ And he knew. So, just get it out of the way, 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 (goes), ‘I got it,’ and he goes back in, and it doesn’t affect the way he plays the rest of the game. It was great, man. I really love where he’s at right now.”
Jameson Williams and Tyrique Stevenson both dismiss idea they have a feud
As passed along by Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network, Williams was asked about what's going on between he and Stevenson.
"On the first play, I just caught the ball, and I (spun) it,” Williams said. “I didn’t say nothing to him and he didn’t say nothing to me. I just spun the ball. I think the flag came from the overreaction from their sideline. Everybody was like, ‘Oh, oh oh.’ But people spin the ball when they make big catches. You probably watch the game and see the ball get spun 12+ times today. We didn’t say nothing to each other today.”
In the Bears' locker room after Sunday's game, via Kory Woods of MLive, Stevenson had a similar (if a littler weirder) sentiment.
"There’s no bad blood, no nothing. It’s a game of football,” Stevenson said. “Attitudes and testosterone take a part of it. But other than that, nothing. I don’t know him. I don’t want to get to know him. That’s it. We just — he play for the Lions. I play for the Bears. That’s it.”
Sunday's "altercation" may not have really been one, if we believe the two principles, but it's also safe to assume Williams and Stevenson won't ever be exchanging holiday cards.