This KC Chiefs back’s team-first approach has been a difference-maker this season
Chiefs running back Darrel Williams had a memorable game last weekend in spite of the outcome.
While the Chiefs suffered a 34-31 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals, Williams did his best to put his team in position to win, racking up 107 total yards (88 rushing) and two touchdowns.
“I thought Darrel played his best game as a professional this past weekend, and I was very proud of him,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “But just like I was proud of him, he’s also disappointed that we didn’t find a way to win the game. So now we’ve just got to continue to grow with him.”
The 5-foot-11, 224-pound Williams has done his part since joining the Chiefs in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of LSU. He has mainly been a backup option for the past four seasons, first behind Kareem Hunt and Damien Williams, and now in support of Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
But he has typically been dependable when called upon.
“Darrel has always been a consistent football player,” Bieniemy said. “Darrel is always one of those guys that’s going to do it the right way. He’s going to do it exactly how you want it done, and he doesn’t take anything for granted.”
Those team-first attributes were on display throughout the Chiefs’ 2021 campaign. With Edwards-Helaire on injured reserve in Weeks 6-10, Williams assumed the featured role out of the backfield and showed what he could do when given extended playing time.
Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) will miss his second straight game on Saturday against the Broncos in Denver, so the Chiefs will be calling Williams’ number again. And Williams, who has already scored a career-high eight touchdowns this season (six rushing), will be poised to achieve another career first: a 1,000-yard season from scrimmage.
The fourth-year pro currently has a career-high 541 rushing yards (on 137 carries), plus 422 receiving, leaving him just 37 yards shy of the thousand-yard milestone.
Williams typically downplays individual accomplishments, preferring to put the team above all else. But he admits reaching 1,000 total yards carries significance — especially given the path he’s taken as a pro
“That would mean a lot,” he said. “I came a long way from being undrafted and having to wait my turn. ... (M)y opportunity came and I had to seize the moment.
“Just being patient and staying consistent is never easy, having to wait for your turn. When you finally get your opportunity, you’ve just got to make the most of it. But it would mean a lot to me.”
Should Williams record the necessary 37 yards, he knows how he’ll mark the occasion.
“Just sharing that moment with my teammates,” he said. “Some of the guys I came in with, even Clyde, my brother: We both came from a struggle and came from a long way, and I’ll get to share that moment with all those guys in the locker room. It’s going to be something special to me.”
After this season, a decision looms. Williams is in the final year of his contract, and the Chiefs must decide if their future includes him.
For now, especially with the postseason looming, they’ll be relying upon him heavily.
“I think the kid has shown that he belongs in this league and that he can be a productive player, so we’re counting on him moving forward,” Bieniemy said. “Obviously we’ve got some other guys that are doing some good things, and we just want to make sure that group is as strong as we need it to be moving forward.”
