Damien Williams facts for kids
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Williams with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | April 3, 1992 San Diego, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 221 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||||
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| High school: | Mira Mesa (San Diego) | ||||||||||||||
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| Undrafted: | 2014 | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Damien Williams, born on April 3, 1992, is an American professional football player. He plays as a running back. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Miami Dolphins signed him in 2014, even though he wasn't chosen in the main draft. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and helped them win Super Bowl LIV. In that Super Bowl, he scored a key touchdown that helped the Chiefs win the game.
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Early Life and High School Football
Damien Williams was born in San Diego, California. He attended El Cajon Valley High School for his first year of high school. For the next three years, he played high school football at Mira Mesa Senior High School.
College Football Career
Williams initially planned to play college football at Arizona State. However, he did not meet the required test scores. So, he played at Arizona Western College first. He then transferred to the University of Oklahoma in 2012. In November 2013, he left the Oklahoma team. In his two seasons with the Sooners, he ran for 1,499 yards. He also scored 18 touchdowns, including a 95-yard touchdown run against Texas in 2012.
College Statistics Summary
During his time at Oklahoma, Damien Williams played in 22 games. He rushed for a total of 1,499 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. He also caught 43 passes for 410 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Professional Football Career
Damien Williams began his professional career in 2014. He was not selected in the NFL draft, but the Miami Dolphins signed him as a free agent.
Miami Dolphins Years (2014–2017)
2014 Season with the Dolphins
Williams made his first NFL appearance in 2014 against the New England Patriots. He helped the Dolphins win 33–20. In Week 16, he scored his first professional touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. For the 2014 season, he had 122 rushing yards and 187 receiving yards with one touchdown.
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2015 and 2016 Seasons
In 2015, Williams scored another receiving touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2016, he played in 15 games. He rushed for 115 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 249 yards and three more touchdowns. The Dolphins made it to the playoffs that year. Williams scored a touchdown in their playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2017 Season and Shoulder Injury
In 2017, Williams became a starting running back for the Dolphins. This happened after Jay Ajayi was traded to another team. Williams started four games. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 12. This injury caused him to miss the rest of the season. He finished the year with 181 rushing yards and 155 receiving yards, plus one receiving touchdown.
Kansas City Chiefs Years (2018–2020)
2018 Season with the Chiefs
Williams joined the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2018. His role on the team grew bigger during the season. In December 2018, the Chiefs signed him to a new contract. He finished the 2018 season with 256 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. He also had 160 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
In the playoffs, Williams became a key player for the Chiefs. In the game against the Indianapolis Colts, he ran for 129 yards and scored a touchdown. In the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots, he scored three touchdowns.
2019 Season and Super Bowl LIV Victory
In Week 9 of 2019, Williams had a great game against the Minnesota Vikings. He rushed for 125 yards, including an amazing 91-yard touchdown run. This 91-yard run tied a team record for the longest touchdown run. In the last game of the regular season, he rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Williams finished the 2019 regular season with 498 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He also had 213 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. In the playoffs, he continued to play well. In the Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers, Williams was a hero. He rushed for 104 yards and scored a 38-yard touchdown. He also caught a pass for a touchdown. His receiving touchdown gave the Chiefs the lead with less than three minutes left. Then, his rushing touchdown sealed the win for the Chiefs. He was the first player in Super Bowl history to have over 100 rushing yards and score both a rushing and receiving touchdown.
2020 Season Opt-Out
On July 29, 2020, Williams decided not to play in the 2020 NFL season. He made this choice because his mother had been diagnosed with cancer. The Chiefs reached Super Bowl LV without him but lost the game. He was released by the Chiefs in March 2021.
Later Career (2021–2023)
Chicago Bears (2021)
In March 2021, Williams signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears. During the 2021 season, he played in 12 games. He rushed for 164 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes for 103 yards and one touchdown.
Atlanta Falcons (2022)
Williams signed with the Atlanta Falcons in March 2022. He suffered a rib injury in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve. He was released by the Falcons in December 2022.
Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals (2023)
In August 2023, Williams signed with the Las Vegas Raiders but was released later that month. In October 2023, the Arizona Cardinals signed him to their practice squad. He played in one game for the Cardinals, rushing for 36 yards. He was released by the Cardinals in November 2023.
NFL Career Statistics Summary
Damien Williams played in 98 regular season NFL games. He rushed for a total of 1,397 yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 154 passes for 1,209 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. In the playoffs, he played in 6 games, rushing for 369 yards and 6 touchdowns, and catching 22 passes for 189 yards and 5 touchdowns.
