Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is preparing for a game against the New England Patriots in Germany, but an incident during his stay in Munich has drawn attention away from the matchup. Williams reportedly found a stranger’s identification card in an Uber and posted an Instagram Story that appeared to ask for money before he would return it.
In the post, Williams wrote: “If u know bro tell em he left his ID in Uber tell em Waymo got it I need 2k euros for it back.” He obscured the owner’s personal information, leaving only the person’s photo visible.
It is unclear what happened to the ID afterward. Williams may have intended the post as a joke, but the wording prompted criticism from fans, some of whom questioned whether he was serious. A demand for €2,000 in exchange for someone’s identification struck many people as inappropriate, regardless of his intent.
The reaction was also shaped by Williams’ earnings. In September 2025, he signed a three-year contract extension with the Lions worth up to $83 million. Some fans argued that a player with such a lucrative deal should not joke about asking someone to pay to recover a lost ID.
The episode comes after Williams has faced multiple disciplinary issues during his time in Detroit. In 2023, he was among five Lions players suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling rules. He did not bet on NFL games, but he placed bets using his phone while at the team’s Allen Park facility.
Williams received another suspension in 2024. In Week 8, the NFL announced that he had violated its policy on performance-enhancing substances, resulting in a two-game suspension. Williams said he was surprised by the decision and explained that he was careful about what he took. He said he generally avoided supplements, vitamins and even common medications unless he was certain about them. He also denied knowingly taking anything to cheat or gain an unfair advantage.
Despite those suspensions, Williams has continued to produce on the field. Through eight games in the 2026 season, he has recorded 28 receptions for 468 yards and five touchdowns. He is averaging 16.7 yards per catch heading into the Patriots game and ranks second among Detroit’s pass catchers, behind Amon-Ra St. Brown. Williams’ catch rate is 60.9%.
His 2025 campaign was stronger overall. He appeared in all 17 games and finished with 65 catches on 102 targets, totaling 1,117 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Those numbers have made him an important part of Detroit’s passing game, even as off-field controversies have continued to draw notice.
Fans responded sharply to the Instagram Story, with several expressing concern about the suggestion that money was needed to return the ID. One person wrote, “That’s not funny; withholding someone’s ID for money is completely unacceptable.”
Another questioned Williams’ judgment and compared him unfavorably with players from another team, writing, “I mean, are we really surprised? Lions and Bears players are one and the same. Dirty individuals with s— morals.”
Other comments focused on the circumstances around the post. One fan asked, “Bigger question – why is Jamo in an Uber the night before the game??” Another criticized the potential impact on the team, saying, “Wow, he’s making the Lions look like crap. That’s simply not funny. He’s just putting up all kinds of question marks about himself and his team 🤔”
A separate fan summed up the uncertainty surrounding the post with a brief reaction: “Sad thing is I can’t tell if he’s kidding.”
Whether Williams meant the comment literally or sarcastically, the episode has prompted another wave of questions about his judgment. With the Lions preparing to face New England in Germany, the reaction has created an unwanted distraction around the team and its receiver.
