DeAngelo Williams: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

At the start of the NFL season, most of the hype went to a certain quarterback and his looming suspensions. For the Steelers, their big-time suspension was already confirmed months ago. Top rusher Le’Veon Bell has been suspended for two games, leaving Pittsburgh without one of their most effective weapons. To fill their need, the Steelers reached out to veteran Deangelo Williams to fill the void for the start of the season. Williams signed a two-year, $4 million contract in March, and was instantly slotted as the number two rusher.

Williams is getting a fresh start in Pittsburgh, after spending his entire nine-year career in Carolina. Williams was the franchise back for the Panthers, but split time with Jonathan Stewart and never really owned the role. Now that time has passed and expectations have waned, Williams will look to reboot his career starting opening night in Foxborough.

Here’s the background on Williams:

1. He Was a Star in Arkansas

Williams was rated as the best running back in Arkansas coming out of the Class of 2001. Williams was raised in Arkansas, and attended Wynne High School. Wynne wasn’t a powerhouse program, but in 2004 Williams helped the team to it’s first and only Class 4A Arkansas state title.

Williams had his first setback while in high school. During his sophomore season Williams broke his foot, costing him the majority of the season. Williams has dealt with foot and ankle problems throughout his career, and it may stem from this early injury.

2. Williams Also Dominated Track

Williams hallmark was his speed as a young rusher, something he carried into other competitions. He was one of the fastest runners in Arkansas history, holding state records in the 100 meter dash. He ran for Wynne all during high school, but did not run in college.

Choosing schools wasn’t easy for Williams, who was a highly-rated prospect. He listened to offers from just about every school in the SEC, but eventually chose Memphis. He was hyped as a top prospect by Memphis upon signing, but what Williams did when he suited up for the Tigers was beyond all expectations.

3. He’s the Top Rusher in Memphis History

To this day, Williams’ time at Memphis has produced some of college football’s greatest records. Williams is still in the top-five all time FCS rushers, but his mark of 34 100-yard rushing games will be a difficult mark to break. After redshirting his freshman year, Williams spent four years dominating at the collegiate level.

Williams’ biggest problem in college had nothing to do with him. His biggest issue was his timing. Williams played at Memphis during a high point for college running backs, right before the spread offense began to take over. Everything he did was overshadowed by Reggie Bush, who was the consensus best player in college football. Williams’ draft class was one of the last great classes for running backs, featuring the likes of Bush, Joseph Addai, and Minnesota’s Laurence Maroney.

4. The Panthers Stole Williams at 27th Overall

Despite his collegiate success, Williams fell to 27th overall in the 2006 Draft. Again, Williams came from a loaded class, and was the third rusher taken overall. He ran an impressive 4.45 at the combine, but that looked downright sluggish compared to first overall pick Reggie Bush. Ultimately the Panthers were satisfied with the selection, as Williams would be a nice transition from franchise back Deshaun Foster. Williams headlined a solid Carolina draft class, accompanied by DB Richard Marshall.

Throughout his nine-year career, Williams has searched for consistency and stability in the backfield. After Foster departed, it was Jonathan Stewart stealing his carries. Williams had one dominant season in 2005, when he finished with over 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns. Williams has never approached those numbers since, and has never scored more than seven touchdowns in any other season. Still, the committee method has molded Williams into an excellent teammate, and he left Carolina proud to be one-half of the NFL’s best rushing tandem. Now in Pittsburgh, Williams will take a backseat to Bell, who is one of the league’s best backs.

5. He and Risalyn Burzynski Have 3 Children

Williams really wants the game ball in the season opener, but it won’t be for his mantle. He wants to give the ball to his first son, who was born on September 4th. Williams now has three children, and both daughters are raised by Williams’ better half, Risalyn Burzynski. Burzynski, a San Diego native, has been with Williams for some time now although the two are not married.

According to Burzynski’s Facebook page, she is a stay-at-home parent currently residing in North Carolina. That may be outdated, as her and DeAngelo have posted several times on social media regarding the search for a house in Pittsburgh. Her feed is filled with pictures of Williams’ two daughters, as is DeAngelo’s. Make sure to follow, or you’ll miss something awesome, like DeAngelo singing the soundtrack to “Frozen” with his two little princesses.

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