Saints’ Williams Won’t Endear Himself to Fans With Critique of New Orleans Delicacy

Dessert in Louisiana is personal.

Saints running back Jamaal Williams came to New Orleans this spring with his goodwill at an all-time high. The BYU product rushed for a career-high 1,066 yards in 2022 to go with a league-leading 17 touchdowns, becoming a fan favorite on an improved Lions squad.

However, he might’ve blown his cachet on Friday, when he gave an instantly controversial answer to a question about one of Louisiana’s favorite pastimes—desserts.

Williams was asked his opinion of the beignet, a French pastry that serves as a centerpiece of the Pelican State’s unique cuisine.

“Yeah, not impressed,” Williams said to reporters. “It’s just a funnel cake.”

Though they have similar appearances and are both members of the donut family, the beignet and funnel cake have vastly different origin stories. While the beignet is French in character, the funnel cake came to America via the Pennsylvania Dutch.

These culinary nuances appear lost on Williams, a Californian still settling into the Gulf region.

“I’m sorry,” Williams said. “I just got here. I respect y’all, your beignets, and all that. In California, we just call them funnel cakes.”