Top five offensive performers in Kansas City Chiefs playoff history
Damien Williams
Damien Williams is the consummate role player. Undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma, Williams signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2014 but never really found his place. Following his departure from the Dolphins and his signing with the Chiefs in the 2018 offseason, most assumed he was simply brought in for competition. The team already had Kareem Hunt in the fold to go with Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West—not to mention UDFA Darrel Williams.
It wasn’t until the 12th game of the 2018 season, after Kareem Hunt was released from the team, that Williams began to see significant usage. He had a fairly productive end to the season, but it was in the playoffs where he really shined.
In the divisional round against the Indianapolis Colts he carried the ball 25 times for an impressive 125 yards and one touchdown, adding five catches for 25 yards through the air. He’d steal the show in the AFC Championship game, the first that Arrowhead Stadium had ever hosted, with 99 total yards and three touchdowns in an epic comeback that fell just short.
Despite his production in the playoffs, he struggled to start the 2019 season. He improved to end the season but ultimately ended with only 111 carries and 498 rushing yards, adding 30 catches for 213 yards in the passing game.
Once again, and the reason behind his place on this list, Williams exploded in the playoffs. Against the Houston Texans, he was a major threat in the red zone scoring three touchdowns including the first of seven straight by the Chiefs.
He’d cap off another impressive playoff run with 133 total yards and two integral touchdowns in the Chiefs come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl LIV. In one of the most iconic runs in Chiefs history, Williams would follow Anthony Sherman’s block, break it to the outside, and race 38-yards into the end zone and the history books.
Damien Williams probably won’t make it into Canton. That said, he was arguably the Super Bowl LIV Most Valuable Player and for that, along with his other successes in the Chiefs postseason, he is and always will be a Chiefs legend.