Lions Place Rookie WR on IR With Designated to Return to Treat PTSD After Heartbreaking Loss of Girlfriend
Detroit, MI – August 28, 2025 – The Lions’ final roster announcements usually spark talk of depth charts and rookies’ chances. But this week, Detroit’s focus shifted from football to a tragedy that shook the entire locker room.
The sadness followed the sudden death of Lina Bina, a 24-year-old online creator better known as MissJohnDough, whose passing after surgical complications stunned fans across the NFL. What should have been a time of optimism turned into mourning.
For the Lions, it meant recognizing that one rookie’s challenge extended far beyond the gridiron. While coaches finalized the 53-man roster, they also faced a decision about how to best support a player grieving a devastating personal loss.
That rookie is Jakobie Keeney-James, an undrafted wide receiver from UMass. On Tuesday, the Lions placed him on Injured Reserve with a designation to return, allowing him time to treat post-traumatic stress in the aftermath of his girlfriend’s passing.
Keeney-James had entered camp with remarkable promise, clocking a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and leading UMass in all major receiving categories during his senior year. But nothing in football prepared him for heartbreak of this magnitude.
“She was there for every step — supporting me through setbacks, celebrating every catch, pushing me to keep believing. I finally made it to the NFL, but by then… she was already gone,” he said softly, leaning on teammates for strength.
Inside Detroit’s facility, coaches and players quickly rallied around him. Head coach Dan Campbell, who often speaks about “grit and family,” reinforced that message: family comes first, even in the heat of roster decisions.
The Lions will miss Keeney-James’s speed and potential on special teams early this season, but the organization made clear that healing comes before football. Teammates described him as “resilient” and “the kind of guy everyone roots for.”
Adult film star MissJohnDough, 24, allegedly underwent a third bbl surgery before tragically dying from a blood clot in her heart and neck, according to friends 😔💔 pic.twitter.com/UqUPJBx6mw
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) August 7, 2025
Around the league, the move reminded fans and players alike that life’s hardest challenges rarely align with football’s timelines. For Keeney-James, every snap he takes in the future will carry the weight of love, sacrifice, and memory.
Detroit’s decision reflects more than roster math. It reflects a franchise that values humanity alongside competition. And when Jakobie Keeney-James returns, he won’t just represent a rookie wideout chasing a dream — he’ll represent courage born from heartbreak.
