Chiefs say Damien Williams is their starting running back

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When the Chiefs signed Carlos Hyde this offseason, some thought he’d step in as the No. 1 running back on the roster. The coaching staff doesn’t see it that way.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy said today that Damien Williams, who took over the starting job after Kareem Hunt was cut last year, will remain atop the depth chart.

Damien Williams is our starter. We expect him to excel in that role,” Bienemy said, via Brandon Kiley of 610 Sports in Kansas City.

In the five games he started (three at the end of the regular season and two in the postseason), Williams totaled 572 yards from scrimmage. That average of 114.4 yards per start is actually slightly better than Hunt, who had totaled 1,202 yards in 11 games, an average of 109.3 yards per game, before he was released.

The Chiefs’ offense really didn’t miss Hunt last year, and there’s no reason to think Williams can’t continue to perform well in an offense that’s tailor made for running backs to put up good numbers.

31 responses to “Chiefs say Damien Williams is their starting running back

  1. Damien Williams was Incredible when he stepped in as the starter for the Chiefs last year. he scored 3 touchdowns in the AFCCG. Of course he is our starter.

  2. “The Chiefs’ offense really didn’t miss Hunt last year…”
    ——————————————–
    Yeah, Chiefs fans know this but we seem to be the only ones who do. Maybe folks will believe it now that PFT has said it. SMH

  3. Yeah Carlos Hyde might not even make this roster. He might, but with all the UDFA talent we have either he or Darrel are getting cut imo.

  4. You don’t get handed a job. You have to take it. Earn it. Hyde is good too, but it’s not like they just acquired Walter Payton or Barry Sanders in their prime. Hyde might end up being the man, but that’s going to be determined on the field. It’s called competition.

  5. @blogatron2000 says:
    May 30, 2019 at 3:03 pm
    “The Chiefs’ offense really didn’t miss Hunt last year…”
    ——————————————–
    Yeah, Chiefs fans know this but we seem to be the only ones who do. Maybe folks will believe it now that PFT has said it. SMH
    =======================================================
    Let me add…fantasy players that had Mahomes, Hunt and Williams also knew about Williams’ conributions! I will probably be able to draft him again in round 3 or 4.

  6. Not a workhorse back like we had back in the days of the great Franco Harris. Now days it’s running back by committee. Hyde will help carry the load for the Chiefs.

  7. Wait, you mean the Chiefs’ offense didn’t miss a beat and Patrick Mahomes didn’t magically turn into Vince Young without Hunt?

    Oh wait, that’s right. They were still 4 inches away from going to the Super Bowl without him. You wouldn’t know it by all the brilliant fans on this site who claim Mahomes and the Chiefs will “crash back down to Earth” without him and all these other ridiculous comments

    It’s amazing that a QB can throw for 5,000 yards, 50 TD and win MVP his first year as a starter and still have fans out there who think he’s just another RG3 or Vince Young, with obviously a big part of it being racial. I’m not the kind of guy who throws that stuff around but it’s clearly an issue here. Imagine if Andrew Luck put up those numbers last year, the guy would be being crowned the king of the NFL. Instead there are still fans all over the place who seem to be actively rooting for Mahomes to fail, for some odd reason.

    Pretty ridiculous.

  8. It’s amazing that a QB can throw for 5,000 yards, 50 TD and win MVP his first year as a starter and still have fans out there who think he’s just another RG3 or Vince Young, with obviously a big part of it being racial. I’m not the kind of guy who throws that stuff around but it’s clearly an issue here. Imagine if Andrew Luck put up those numbers last year, the guy would be being crowned the king of the NFL. Instead there are still fans all over the place who seem to be actively rooting for Mahomes to fail, for some odd reason.

    They are called donkey and Las Vegas raiders fans…..

  9. @ romeisfallingagain says:
    Count me as a “rooter to fail” too. Plenty of MVPs and Heismens have won a trophy only to fail down the road. We can have an opinion on this site or otherwise. And that is okay. I’m not asking for your approval.

  10. Williams should be pretty solid, and having Hyde as the backup is a bit of a luxury. With that said, the loss of Hunt and the soon to be loss of Tyreek Hill is going to place a lot more on Mahomes shoulders. Mahomes is likely to handle it, as he is a very, very good young QB, but the Chiefs need to plug in as any playmakers around him as possible if they are looking to make another playoff run.

    The Chiefs are very fortunate to have Mahomes, and they will go only as far as he can carry them. Nobody else on the team elevates the offense and makes them better like Mahomes.

  11. Mahomes is a one year fluke with everything perfect around him…the fall will be hard!

  12. “The Chiefs’ offense really didn’t miss Hunt last year”

    The Chiefs’ offense failed to score a single point in the first half of the AFC Championship game.

    And they “didn’t miss” their most dynamic skill player.

    Whatever you say…

  13. kcflake says:
    May 30, 2019 at 2:44 pm
    Damien Williams was Incredible when he stepped in as the starter for the Chiefs last year. he scored 3 touchdowns in the AFCCG.

    =======================

    That’s some selective memory! The Chiefs had 41 total rushing yards in the game, Williams ran for 30 total yards on 10 carries.

    The Chiefs’ run game was shut down, and along with it, their ability to control the flow of the game.

    In the prior meeting between the two teams, Hunt ran for 148 yards. They had Alex Smith then, but Smith threw for 368 yards and 4 TDs.

  14. I don’t think I’d agree it didn’t miss Hunt. Williams was no where near as physical. Some of the short 1 yard or 2 yard runs that Kareem got easily Williams struggled a little more on.

    However, he can produce everywhere else just as well if not better than Hunt. The Raiders game was an obvious mess, but that was more because all week Hunt had taken every snap in practice and the game plan was developed with him in the line up.

  15. I’m glad that Damien is getting a shot to start. Overall, he’s a bit limited but a great locker room guy.

  16. All you Chiefs fans must be confusing Kareem Hunt with Tyreek Hill….the guy you will actually miss

  17. Damien Williams is a good back that can be very good in the right system. He is in the right system now in KC. He was not in the right system in Miami at all. I expect him to do very well as long as he stays healthy!

  18. Sounds like this guy has character…..something the Chiefs locker room sorely needs from a skill position stand point.

  19. It’ll never matter much who’s at RB for the next 15-20 years. PH
    15 will have defenses so puzzled and off balance any back will succeed.

  20. People will have tape on Williams and how the chiefs will use him. It’s unbelievable that people take a late in the season sample and run with it. I like Williams but he has never had a work load even close to what the chiefs are now asking him to do. I hope he does well but traditionally he is a rb that gives you 2-4 yards and a cloud of dust. Maholmes had an unbelievable year last year but you would be crazy to think the chiefs are going to pick up where they left off.

  21. theitalianarmy says:
    May 30, 2019 at 3:32 pm
    Not a workhorse back like we had back in the days of the great Franco Harris. Now days it’s running back by committee. Hyde will help carry the load for the Chiefs.
    ———-
    Harris averaged 18.8 touches per game. He was in the top 10 six times but he isn’t even close when it comes to RBs with the heaviest workloads.

  22. I think many people will find out that Hunt was more a product of the system. The biggest asset the Chiefs require of their running backs is to be a good receiving running back and they will scheme plays to get them ball.

    Williams killed the Patriots in the second half by receiving. Just as Hunt did the first time they met. The Chiefs also picked up a running back in the draft who is turning heads in OTA’s. Guess what, he is a good receiver too.

  23. The Chiefs’ offense failed to score a single point in the first half of the AFC Championship game.
    ————————————
    And yet, they were still an off-sides penalty away from the SB.

    Whatever you say…

  24. Wait… Chiefs fans are playing the “Mahomes is underrated” card in the comments?!?

    He is one year in and some people have said he’s a already top 5 QB in the league. Especially the TV talking heads. How could he possibly be underrated?!?

    Fans expect him to run into some attrition, because that happens with every QB (even Brady, even Manning, even Brees, even Rodgers….) If he keeps throwing “no look” passes, he’ll end up getting burned. But until that happens, enjoy the ride and stop whining about everyone else rooting against him.

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