NFL star ran towards stands to get little fan's Pikachu plushie—in return, he gave the kid the gift of a lifetime

It's not just the regular folks who are obsessed with Japanese anime and video games but the celebrities and star athletes are also invested in it. American football player Jamaal Williams, who plays in the NFL for New Orleans Saints as a running back, had been a lifelong fan of anime and Pokémon, per New Orleans Saints. In his introductory press conference, the NFL running back wore a Pokémon cap featuring the character Eevee and educated the reporters about its powers and personality. Needless to say, Williams' fans became aware of his passion for Pokémon and one little fan decided to use it to his advantage.
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A woman named Samantha Blanchard, who goes by @samgblanch on TikTok, shared two sweet videos of a little boy's interaction with Williams during a game in 2024. In the first video, Williams rushed to the stands to meet the boy, who was trying to get his attention by waving the vibrant yellow Pikachu plushie. "What do you want? I wanted this. What can I get for this? Can I have it?" Williams got a hold of the plushie and asked the young fan. The kid wanted just what any other NFL fan would want from their favorite athletes.
Through the clamor at the stadium, the young boy asked if he could get a signed glove from Williams and the star athlete was ready to trade anything to get the plushie. Williams offered that he could give the kid anything, not just a glove but also towels or any other object in return. The kid's response was inaudible but it seemed the two struck a successful deal as Williams returned to the field to play after making a promise.

In the second part of the video, there was a wholesome update. William came back to the stands and met the kid after finishing the game. He kept his word and started signing the glove he wore during the game. Williams gave the signed glove to the boy as another young woman standing close by handed over her phone to the NFL player to click a selfie with his little fan. The boy gave away the Pikachu plushie to the athlete and they bid goodbye to each other. Blanchard filmed the NFL player skipping away with joy, clutching the Pikachu plushie.
@samgblanch Replying to @a.savage337 #whodatnation #neworleanssaints #southlouisiana #jamaalwilliams @New Orleans Saints @ESPN @NFL @jamaal williams347 @Jamaal Williams ♬ original sound - Samantha Blanchard
Fellow TikTok users and NFL fans flocked to the comments section of the video to applaud Williams for having a memorable interaction with the young fan. @windtalker619 pointed, "The tumble was perfect and had me dead. He’s such a nerd that just happens to have elite talent and he’s going to make for an amazing influencer soon enough." @p3bbl3s26 wrote, "He is my favorite person in the NFL. I wish he played for the Vikings." @wendybergeron1 commented, "Cherish those gloves! When my son was little, he got a glove from Will Smith. Definitely something I cherish having. Jamaal is a great guy!" @yupyup77956277 added, "Major respect to Williams. The dude is in one of the biggest tough-guy mentality sports but goes out, doesn't care about judgment, and is 100% himself. Love to see it."

@samgblanch #southlouisiana #louisiana #neworleanssaints #whodatnation @New Orleans Saints @ESPN @NFL @Austin Savage @jamaal williams347 @Jamaal Williams ♬ original sound - Samantha Blanchard
You can follow Samantha Blanchard (@samgblanch) on TikTok for more videos on lifestyle.