KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Darrel Williams will remain with the Chiefs; Damien Williams will not.
Kansas City confirmed Tuesday afternoon that it has re-signed Darrel Williams, a fourth-year running back who closed the 2020 season with some productive postseason performances.
Darrel is BACK! pic.twitter.com/tHOQLjzE5C
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 16, 2021
Darrel Williams missed the end of the 2019 season with a serious hamstring injury and needed time to get back up to speed during the first half of 2020, but he showed explosiveness and value in the passing game last season in helping the Chiefs return to the Super Bowl.
Darrel Williams, who went undrafted out of Louisiana State University in 2018, played a full NFL season for the first time last year.
He finished with 39 carries for a career-high 169 yards with one touchdown and also caught a career-high 18 passes for 116 yards.
Darrel Williams played well during the postseason en route to Super Bowl LV, racking 94 yards from scrimmage in an AFC Divisional win against Cleveland and 61 total yards in the AFC Championship Game demolition of Buffalo.
Let’s get it #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/0i7L0tJVkm
— darrel williams (@darrelwilliams_) March 16, 2021
The re-signing of Darrel Williams helped make another running back named Williams expendable.
According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs released Damien Williams, a Super Bowl LIV hero for Kansas City.
Source: #Chiefs are releasing Damien Williams
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2021
Damien Williams opted out of the 2020 season and the move saves Kansas City $2.1 million against the salary cap.
The Chiefs signed Damien Williams before the 2018 season as a backup to Kareem Hunt. He inherited the starting job when Hunt was released that December.
He led Kansas City in rushing in 2019, totaling 498 yards and five touchdowns on 111 carries.
Damien Williams also added 30 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns receiving before an explosive Super Bowl performance.
During a 31-20 win against San Francisco, Damien Williams carried 17 times for 104 and caught four passes for 29 yards with two touchdowns, one rushing to ice the comeback win and one receiving.
He also scored three touchdowns against Houston in a comeback win during the AFC Divisional victory and another TD in the AFC Championship Game win against Tennessee.
Williams’ agent also confirmed that Damien Williams had been released, but also indicated he would return to the NFL for the 2021 season.
Unfortunately, Damien Williams won't be a part of the Chiefs attempt to go to a 3rd straight Super Bowl, but he is back for 2021 season and he will be helping another team try to get there.
— Ian Greengross (@iangreengross) March 16, 2021
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