Five Kansas City Chiefs players who deserve an apology

Damien Williams

The Chiefs have a long history of workhorse backs. From Christian Okoye and Marcus Allen to Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles, Chiefs Kingdom has been spoiled rotten with dynamic gamechangers at the position.

Entering the 2019 season, there were a lot of questions about how the Chiefs would approach the running game. 2017 rushing champion Kareem Hunt is gone. The team said they would take a running-back-by-committee approach. There were rumors about signing Le’Veon Bell. There were rumors about replacing Hunt in the draft. Carlos Hyde signed (and was subsequently traded). Then that same weekend, LeSean McCoy signed.

All the while Damien Williams sat quietly. You never heard a complaint from the 27-year-old former Oklahoma Sooner. Two separate injuries cost him multiple games in 2019, and while those hindered Williams from developing into a consistent statistical threat in the backfield, he has performed sufficiently at the position in a time in which the Chiefs’ biggest need has been stability.

In other words, the team hasn’t needed a rushing champion. They just need someone who can tote the rock every six plays, catch passes in the screen game, and help keep Mahomes on his feet.

Williams has played almost every offensive snap in the playoffs while McCoy has been inactive. He might not be the bellcow tackle-breaker that Chiefs fans are accustomed to, but no one in Chiefs Kingdom is complaining about Williams today. He is actively involved in the passing game, and if he gets a seam in the run game, he’s proven he has the long speed to take it to the house, as evidenced by his touchdown runs of 91 and 84 yards this season.

Which player were you most wrong about?