# Damien Williams
**Damien Williams** (born 1992) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) for eight seasons, best known for scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the [Kansas City Chiefs](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-chiefs)' Super Bowl LIV victory over the [San Francisco 49ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-49ers) in February 2020.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm) • [2](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season) He played for the Miami Dolphins (2014 to 2017), Kansas City Chiefs (2018 to 2019), Chicago Bears (2021), Atlanta Falcons (2022), and Arizona Cardinals (2023).[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/damien-williams/stats/career)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992, San Diego, California; 5 ft 11 in (180 cm), 221 lbs (100 kg) as a player[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm) |
| Entry into NFL | Undrafted; originally signed by the Miami Dolphins following the 2014 NFL Draft[4](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf) |
| Career totals | 101 games (16 starts), 347 carries for 1,440 yards and 14 touchdowns; 156 receptions for 1,221 yards and 11 touchdowns[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/damien-williams/stats/career) |
| Best season | 2019 with Kansas City: 111 carries for 498 yards and 5 touchdowns, a career high in rushing yards[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/damien-williams/stats/career) • [2](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season) |
| Super Bowl LIV | 104 rushing yards, including a 38-yard game-sealing touchdown run, plus a go-ahead touchdown catch; 133 total yards and 2 touchdowns[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season) • [5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmspkwjTCQ) |
| 2020 season | Opted out because of COVID-19 concerns related to his mother's stage 4 cancer[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/damien-williams-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with-bears) |
| Nickname | "Playoff Damien"[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm) |
| Retirement | Last played in 2023[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm) |
## Early career and college
Williams entered the NFL without a college draft pedigree. At Arizona Western College in 2011, he rushed for 1,931 yards on 259 carries, a 7.5-yard average, with 26 touchdowns, and was voted a first-team NJCAA All-American, the WSFL Offensive Player of the Year, and ACCAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year.[4](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf) He went undrafted in 2014 and signed with the [Miami Dolphins](https://www.edgepedia.org/miami-dolphins) as a free agent.[4](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf)
## Miami Dolphins (2014 to 2017)
Williams spent his first four professional seasons with Miami, appearing in 58 games with four starts.[4](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf) He worked mainly as a backup, with his heaviest rushing workload in 2017 (46 carries for 181 yards) and his most productive receiving season in 2016 (23 catches for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns).[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/damien-williams/stats/career)
## Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl LIV
Williams signed with the Chiefs as an unrestricted free agent on March 22, 2018.[4](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf) His 2019 season of 498 rushing yards was a career high, and it preceded his postseason impact.[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season)
**Super Bowl LIV.** In the Chiefs' comeback against San Francisco, Williams caught a go-ahead touchdown pass from [Patrick Mahomes](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-mahomes) in the fourth quarter and then sealed the 31 to 20 win with a 38-yard touchdown run in the final stages.[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season) He also became the only player in Chiefs franchise history to record multiple postseason games with at least 100 rushing yards.[4](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf)
## Opt-out and later career
Williams opted out of the 2020 season, informing the Chiefs in July 2020; general manager Brett Veach said the choice was made in the best interest of his family, and Williams later explained it was driven by COVID-19 concerns related to his mother's stage 4 cancer.[2](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season) • [6](https://www.nfl.com/news/damien-williams-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with-bears) The Chiefs released him in March 2021, and he signed a one-year contract with the [Chicago Bears](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bears) on March 26, 2021, reuniting with head coach [Matt Nagy](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-nagy), whose offense resembled the one Williams had played in under [Andy Reid](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-reid) in Kansas City.[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/damien-williams-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with-bears) • [7](https://www.chicagobears.com/news/roster-move-bears-land-ex-chiefs-rb-williams)
His final two seasons were brief: one game with the [Atlanta Falcons](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlanta-falcons) in 2022 and three games with the [Arizona Cardinals](https://www.edgepedia.org/arizona-cardinals) in 2023, after which he retired.[3](https://www.nfl.com/players/damien-williams/stats/career) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm)
## Playing style and legacy
Williams was a career backup for most of his eight seasons, exceeding 100 carries in a season only once, in 2019.[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/damien-williams-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with-bears) He won one [Super Bowl ring](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-ring) and was not elected to the [Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-hall-of-fame).[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm)
## References
1. [Damien Williams Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WillDa05.htm)
2. [Super Bowl LIV hero Damien Williams opts out of 2020 season, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-liv-hero-damien-williams-opts-out-of-2020-season)
3. [Damien Williams Career Stats, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/damien-williams/stats/career)
4. [Damien Williams player bio (Saints media guide PDF), NFL.com](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/jp0sga33zz581lysuuhx.pdf)
5. [Damien Williams Pops Off for 133 Total Yds & 2 TDs, Super Bowl LIV Highlights, NFL on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAmspkwjTCQ)
6. [Damien Williams agrees to one-year deal with Bears, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/damien-williams-agrees-to-one-year-deal-with-bears)
7. [Roster Move: RB Damien Williams signs one-year contract with Chicago Bears, ChicagoBears.com](https://www.chicagobears.com/news/roster-move-bears-land-ex-chiefs-rb-williams)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Running backs › Retired NFL running backs › NFL running backs of the 2010s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license