The Atlanta Falcons have very little depth on their roster, but the team has put together a nice stable of running backs after the first wave of free agency.
Not only did Atlanta re-sign Qadree Ollison and Cordarrelle Patterson, the team added a Super Bowl-champion in free agent Damien Williams. Fans know all about Ollison and Patterson but very little about Williams, the former Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs running back.
An undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma, Williams signed with Miami in 2014, playing four seasons (2014-2017) and scoring nine total touchdowns. After that, he signed with the Chiefs and despite limited usage in the running game, Williams scored 13 touchdowns over his first two seasons combined.
It took Williams until Week 13 of the 2018 season before he really became a part of the offense.
“I’d always been a special teams guy the first couple of years. At the end of the day, everyone trains hard, but it was a different mindset this offseason knowing what was coming this season. I had to prepare a little differently and take care of my body more,” stated Williams to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star during the 2020 playoff run.
The 2019 season was easily the best campaign Williams ever put together, totaling 498 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. His 711 total yards were also a career high — which was a byproduct of his 141 touches that year.
Williams’ biggest moments came in the postseason, giving way for his “Playoff Damien” nickname, which Fox Sports Commentator Joe Buck made famous during Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers.
During the two playoff games in 2018, Williams accounted for four total touchdowns. In the Divisional round, Williams amassed 125 yards on 25 carries (5.16 yards per attempt) and added another 35 yards as a receiver. He only totaled 30 yards on the ground the following week against New England, but he was a weapon in the passing game.
In the following postseason, Williams carried the ball 46 times combined in the Chiefs’ three playoff games, finding the end zone six times. This was the most touches Williams had ever received over a three-game span.
His best performance came on the NFL’s biggest stage. In a game where both teams’quarterbacks struggled, Williams made a strong case to take home the Super Bowl MVP award. He racked up 133 total yards (104 yards rushing) and two touchdowns that both came in the fourth quarter when the team was trailing.
After opting out of the 2020 season, Williams was cut by the Chiefs during the 2021 offseason and later joined the Bears where success was hard to find. Arthur Smith did a good job transforming Cordarrelle Patterson after he left the Bears, so hopefully the Falcons can hone in on that playoff magic during the regular season.
