Former Lions running back Jamaal Williams is seeking a return to the NFL after 21 months since his last game. He contacted Lions head coach Dan Campbell to express his desire to make a comeback. Campbell informed Williams that the team is currently set at running back but will keep him in mind for future opportunities. Williams stated, "Football’s my love, man. 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 with the Lions during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, particularly in 2022 when he recorded 1,066 rushing yards and a team-record 17 rushing touchdowns. After hitting free agency, the Lions signed David Montgomery, leading Williams to join the New Orleans Saints, where he struggled to fit into the team's run game centered around Alvin Kamara. In 2025, Williams had tryouts with several teams, but none resulted in a contract. He mentioned, "At the time, it was just the Saints who offered what I wanted. 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." He also reflected on the mental challenges of not receiving opportunities, stating, "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."