Getty Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams.
Free agent running back Damien Williams, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, is signing to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad, according to Cardinals reporter Darren Urban on October 5.
.@AZCardinals sign former Chiefs RB Damien Williams to the practice squad. Keaontay Ingram is currently battling a neck injury.
Williams, 31, entered the NFL undrafted in 2014 out of Oklahoma. The first NFL team he signed with was the Miami Dolphins in May 2014. Williams’ efforts on special teams along with some limited offensive action kept him in Miami for four seasons until he joined the Chiefs in 2018.
Damien Williams a Playoff Hero in Chiefs Kingdom
Damien Williams played two seasons in Kansas City and is most famously known within Chiefs Kingdom for his play during the 2019 postseason.
In three games played during that postseason run, Williams registered 46 rushing attempts for 196 rushing yards and 6 total touchdowns (4 rushing, 2 receiving). In the Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers, Williams ran the ball 17 times for 104 yards and had 3 total touchdowns (2 receiving, 1 rushing).
Just a few months after the team’s championship run, Williams opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns regarding COVID-19. In March 2021, Kansas City released Williams, which reportedly “stunned” him at the time, according to The Athletic’s Nate Taylor.
During the 2021 offseason, Williams signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears. He then joined the Atlanta Falcons during the 2022 offseason.
Williams was only active for one game during the 2022 season — the season opener — and gained 2 yards on 2 rushing attempts on 10 total offensive snaps according to Pro Football Reference. On December 12, Williams was released by Atlanta.
On August 11, Williams signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, but his stint with Kansas City’s division rival was short-lived, as he was released on August 29.
Andy Reid Talks Isiah Pacheco’s Career-High Effort
Speaking of running backs — Chiefs second-year running back Isiah Pacheco is fresh off of one of the best games of his career, which took place during Kansas City’s 23-20 win over the New York Jets in Week 4.
In that game, Pacheco rushed for a career-high 115 yards on 5.7 yards per attempt, racked up a total of 158 yards from scrimmage, and had 1 rushing touchdown, which came on a 48-yard burst in the first quarter.
On 3rd & 1, RB Isiah Pacheco breaks a tackle and puts on the jets for a 48-yard TD. PAT is good.
On a night in which quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw two interceptions, Pacheco carried the offense, and his efforts couldn’t have come at a more opportune time given the state of the Chiefs’ offense that night.
Speaking to the media on October 5, Kansas City head coach Andy Reid discussed what Pacheco must do moving forward to continue to produce at a high level.
“Consistency is what you’re looking for,” Reid explained. “Obviously, when people know that you’re a good player, they’re going to try to do things to stop you, so it’s important that the offensive line, tight ends, and he (Isiah Pacheco) are on the same page and they all do their job to make the thing happen. The one thing you’re going to get from him is he’s going to go 100 miles an hour and run hard every time he gets an opportunity – whether he catches or runs it, he’s going hard.”
Next up on Kansas City’s schedule is an away game against the Minnesota Vikings. That game will take place on Sunday, October 8 at 3:25 p.m. Central time.