The Detroit Lions defeated the Chicago Bears in a thrilling Week 13 matchup on Thursday, November 28, securing a 30-23 victory and crushing any hopes the Bears had of celebrating Thanksgiving with a win on the field. Not only did the Lions dominate Caleb Williams and the Bears, but the game also resulted in a costly penalty for one Bears player.
Chicago Bears’ Tyrique Stevenson vs. Detroit Lions’ Jameson Williams
The NFL announced on Saturday, December 7, that Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson has been fined $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct during the Thanksgiving game.
The incident unfolded in the fourth quarter with less than 10 minutes remaining. Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was forced out of bounds on the Bears’ sideline. After the play, Williams was hit with a 15-yard penalty for throwing the ball at Stevenson, striking him in the face. That penalty led the Lions to settle for a field goal on that drive.
Williams took responsibility for his actions, admitting fault. However, the NFL noted that Stevenson also contributed to the altercation. Footage revealed that Stevenson tripped Williams while he was out of bounds. Stevenson’s actions drew the attention of the league office, resulting in his significant fine.
NFL analyst Brad Berreman, writing for SideLion Report on December 8, observed, “It seemed unlikely Williams would draw any further penalty for the play in question when fines were doled out league-wide for Week 13 indiscretions. That was confirmed on Saturday, but Stevenson did draw a notable fine.”
Berreman added, “Stevenson was fined $19,697 for tripping Williams. That’s a bigger fine than, as an example, Lions safety Brian Branch has received for anything he’s been singularly fined for this season. The league found Stevenson was in the wrong and Williams was not, as any objective analysis of the play would have confirmed.”
Erik Schlitt of Pride of Detroit noted, “While Williams not being fined is an acknowledgment of him not being responsible for starting the incident, Williams’ response of tossing the football at Stevenson was certainly worthy of the personal foul penalty, which is why he addressed the team and apologized for his reaction.”
Detroit Lions’ Jameson Williams Owned Up to Penalty
Following the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed that Williams apologized to his teammates for his penalty.
“Yeah, and look, I’ll be honest with you, that’s already cleaned up. It’s already cleaned up,” Campbell told reporters. “So, we’re good. And as a matter of fact, Jamo got right in front of the team a minute ago, unsolicited, and wanted to apologize to his teammates. That’s big, that’s growth. So all good.”
Quarterback Jared Goff also commended Williams for his accountability.
“He’s right where he needs to be, he’s doing a good job,” Goff said. “I know that was a mistake by him, but I’m proud of him, the way he handled it, the way he stood up and took responsibility. We’ll move on, there’s no problems there.”
