Sep 11, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Damien Williams (6) runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Raiders sign RB Damien Williams

The Las Vegas Raiders added to their running back depth by signing Damien Williams, his agent announced Friday.

Terms of the deal for Williams were not disclosed. He adds a veteran presence as the team adjusts to the absence of Josh Jacobs (holdout). Fellow running backs Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah are also on the Raiders’ roster.

Williams, 31, played in just one game last season with the Atlanta Falcons, carrying the ball twice for two yards before sustaining a rib injury. He spent most of his time on injured reserve before being released by the Falcons in December.

Williams had a big postseason for the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2019 campaign by rushing for 196 yards and four touchdowns and catching 11 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns in three games. He stood out in Super Bowl LIV with 104 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries and four receptions for 29 yards and another score as the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers.

Williams has rushed for 1,397 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught 154 passes for 1,209 yards and 11 scores in 98 games (16 starts) for the Miami Dolphins (2014-17), Chiefs (2018-19), Chicago Bears (2021) and Falcons (2022).

–Field Level Media

Sep 19, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks (96) reacts after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (not pictured) during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Bears rule out Akiem Hicks, Justin Fields for Thanksgiving game

The Chicago Bears on Wednesday officially ruled out starting quarterback Justin Fields, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks and running back Damien Williams for Thursday’s game against the Detroit Lions.

Further, wide receiver Allen Robinson (hamstring) is doubtful for the Thanksgiving Day game.

Nick Foles will back up Andy Dalton, who was named the Bears’ starter Tuesday. Rookie Khalil Herbert will back up starting RB David Montgomery with Williams out with a calf injury.

Fields suffered a rib injury in last Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Sitting out the Thanksgiving Day game will give him another 10 days to recover before Chicago’s Dec. 5 date with the Arizona Cardinals.

Hicks also missed the game against the Ravens with an injured ankle. It’ll be his fourth missed game this season.

It could also be the second consecutive missed game for Robinson, who has 30 catches for 339 yards and a touchdown on the season.

The Bears (3-7) are riding a five-game losing streak while the Lions remain winless.

–Field Level Media

Oct 10, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears running back Damien Williams (8) carries the ball during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Bears downgrade RB Damien Williams to doubtful

A rough week for Chicago Bears running back Damien Williams started with him working his way through a knee injury, and now he is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with a calf injury.

The Bears downgraded Williams on Saturday after the calf injury that appears to have occurred during practice this week.

Williams, 29, has 139 yards rushing on 37 carries in seven games (two starts) with two touchdowns. He also has 11 receptions for 64 yards.

Earlier in the week, the team put outside linebacker Khalil Mack on injured reserve with a season-ending foot injury.

Chicago will be without defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (ankle), while wide receiver Allen Robinson (hamstring) is doubtful.

–Field Level Media

Oct 10, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears running back Damien Williams (8) spins out of the reach of Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) and Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Casey Hayward (29) during a game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Bears RB Damien Williams placed on COVID list

The Chicago Bears moved running back Damien Williams to the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.

If Williams is vaccinated, he needs to record two negative tests 24 hours apart while being symptom-free in order to return, per NFL protocols.

That might not be enough time for Williams to make it back for Sunday’s showdown in Chicago against the rival Green Bay Packers. The winner between Green Bay (4-1) and Chicago (3-2) will lead the NFC North.

The Bears are already down one running back, David Montgomery. Starting the season as their lead back, Montgomery suffered a sprained knee and was moved to injured reserve earlier this month.

If Williams can’t go, Khalil Herbert will take the top spot on Chicago’s depth chart. The rookie sixth-round draft pick took 18 carries for 75 yards last week in a road win over the Las Vegas Raiders, while Williams had 16 attempts for 64 yards and a touchdown plus two receptions for 20 yards.

Williams, 29, is in his first season with the Bears and opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic. In 90 games spent with the Miami Dolphins (2014-17), Kansas City Chiefs (2018-19) and Chicago, he’s amassed 1,368 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while catching 148 passes for 1,167 yards and another 10 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams (26) runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Bears agree with RB Damien Williams on 1-year deal

Dec 27, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) runs the ball against Dallas Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith (58) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears reached agreement on a one-year deal with former Kansas City running back Damien Williams, NFL Network reported Wednesday.

Terms were not reported.

Williams last played in 2019. He opted out of the 2020 season over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

His last game was Super Bowl LIV when he ran for 104 yards and a score in the Chiefs’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He gashed the Niners for 6.12 yards per carry and also hauled in a TD catch, scoring the final two TDs for the Chiefs.

Williams, 28, has 1,231 rushing yards and 12 TDs in 85 games (13 starts) for the Miami Dolphins (2014-17) and Chiefs. He also has 138 catches for 1,106 yards and 10 career TDs.

He has played for Bears head coach Matt Nagy in Kansas City and offensive coordinator Bill Lazor in Miami.

–Field Level Media

Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams (26) runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Chiefs release RB Damien Williams

The Kansas City Chiefs released running back Damien Williams, who played a key role in their Super Bowl LIV title before opting out last season due to COVID-19 concerns, on Tuesday, according to numerous reports.

The Chiefs save $2.2 million against the salary cap by cutting Williams, who rushed for 104 yards and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in Super Bowl LIV, according to reports.

Williams became expendable with the emergence of rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who led the team in rushing with 803 yards and four touchdowns on 181 carries after the Chiefs took him in the first round of last year’s draft. Edwards-Helaire also played in just 13 regular-season games due to injury.

The Chiefs also signed second-string running back Darrel Williams to a one-year contract worth up to $2.13 million with $930,000 guaranteed on Tuesday, according to The Kansas City Star.

Darrel Williams, who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of LSU in 2018, rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries last year. He also had 18 receptions for 116 yards.

Damien Williams, who turns 29 on April 3, led Kansas City in rushing in 2019, when he ran for 498 yards and five touchdowns on 111 carries, in addition to making 30 catches for 213 and two touchdowns.

Damien Williams wants to play in 2021, per his agent. He came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2014 and spent his first four seasons with the Miami Dolphins before signing with the Chiefs in 2018. He has rushed for 754 yards and nine touchdowns, in addition to posting 53 catches for 373 receiving yards and four scores, in Kansas City.

For his career, Damien Williams has rushed for 1,231 yards with 12 scores, plus 138 receptions for 1,106 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams (26) against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs RB Williams opting out due to mother’s illness

Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams said in an interview that he opted out of the 2020 NFL season because his mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

“With everything that’s going on, she was the only one there for me,” he told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I never had the opportunity to have my dad there. My mom is my rock, my everything, so during a hard time like this, I think I should be next to her every step.”

Williams, 28, said it was the right decision for his family.

“It was hard, I sat down and talked to everybody in my circle, my family and everybody close to me,” Williams said. “My mom was just like, whatever’s your decision, I’m behind you. It was hard. Football is my life and coming off a championship and wanting a repeat — and I know they’re going to handle that — but at the end of the day, it was something personal I had to handle.”

Williams scored the final two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2. He put Kansas City ahead in the fourth quarter with a 5-yard touchdown reception before padding the lead with a 38-yard score.

Williams had 711 yards from scrimmage (498 rushing, 213 receiving) and seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving) in the regular season last year.

The Chiefs will look to Darrell Williams, Darwin Thompson and first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire out of LSU to fill the void left by Williams.

–Field Level Media