NFL CAREER – Signed by the Saints as an unrestricted free agent from Detroit in 2023, Williams is a talented runner who had a breakout season in 2022 as he led the National Football League and set a Lions single-season franchise record for rushing touchdowns with 17. Through 17 games with nine starts for Detroit, Williams added on 262 attempts for 1,066 rushing yards and 12 receptions for 73 yards, producing the first 1,000 yard rushing season of his career and the first for a Lion since 2013. The former BYU star's talent came consistently all over the field, as well as in short bursts, as ten of his rushing touchdowns in 2022 came from exactly one yard out, tied for third-most in NFL history. In 2021, Williams ranked fifth among all NFL running backs with 27.5% of his rushes resulting in first downs. Also a sound ballcarrier, he went 752 career touches before fumbling the ball and became the league's first active running back to reach 600 carries before fumbling. Since being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round (134th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft, Williams has played in 90 games with 40 starts, totaling 915 attempts for 2652 yards and 30 touchdowns, while adding on 160 receptions for 1191 yards and eight touchdowns against only four fumbles.
TRANSACTIONS – Signed to a three-year contract by the New Orleans Saints (UFA-Det.), 3/17/23; Signed by the Detroit Lions to a two-year contract (UFA-GB), 3/17/21; Signed by Green Bay to a four-year contract, 6/1/17; Drafted in the fourth round (134th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
HONORS – 2022: Offensive Player of the Week (Week 18); FedEx Ground Player of the Week (Weeks 11 and 17).
2022 – Played in 17 games with nine starts for the Lions, recording 262 attempts for 1,066 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding on 12 receptions for 73 yards. 17 rushing touchdowns led the National Football League in 2022 and set a new single-season franchise record for Detroit…Vs. Seattle, Oct. 2, started and recorded 19 attempts for 108 yards (5.7 avg.) and two TDs, while adding a one-yard reception…At NYG, Nov. 20, started and had 17 attempts for 64 yards and a season-high three TDs…Vs. Buffalo, Nov. 24, rushed 18 times for 66 yards and one TD, giving him his tenth consecutive game with at least 50 rushing yards, a career-best streak and the longest active streak in the NFL…Vs. Chicago, 1/1/23, started and attempted 22 times for a career-high 144 yards (6.6 avg.) and one TD with a career-long of 58 yards, while adding one 13-yard reception to finish with career-best 157 yards from scrimmage…At Green Bay, 1/8/23, started and finished with 16 attempts for 72 yards and two TDs. The multi-rushing touchdown game was his sixth of the season, as he surpassed Barry Sanders to hold the new franchise record while becoming only the third player in the NFL to have six multi-rushing touchdown games in the last ten years. 2021 – Played in 13 games with 11 starts for the Lions as he finished the season with 153 attempts for 601 yards and three touchdowns, while adding on 26 receptions for 157 yards…Vs. San Francisco, Sept. 12, started opener and attempted nine times for 54 yards and a TD, while catching eight throws for 56 yards. Became the first Lions running back since 2014 to tally 50 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards and one TD in a game…Vs. Baltimore, Sept. 26, started and rushed 12 times for 42 yards and one TD, while adding on two receptions for 25 yards…At Chicago, Oct. 3, started and rushed 14 times for 66 yards (4.7 avg.)…Vs. Minnesota, Dec. 5, started and posted 17 rushing attempts for 71 yards while adding on one reception for nine yards…At Atlanta, Dec. 26., started and recorded season highs of 19 attempts for 77 yards. 2020 – Played in 14 games with three starts for the Packers, rushing 119 times for 505 yards and two touchdowns while tacking on 31 receptions for 236 yards and one touchdown…Vs. Lions, Sept. 20, finished with eight attempts for 63 yards (7.9 avg.)…At Texans, Oct. 25, recorded 19 attempts for season-high 77 rushing yards and a TD and added four receptions for 37 yards for 114 yards from scrimmage…Vs. Vikings, Nov. 1, posted 16 attempts for 75 yards and added six receptions for 27 yards to notch his second consecutive game with 100+ total yards from scrimmage…Vs. Chicago, Nov. 30, finished with 17 rushes for 73 yards and one TD…In NFC Divisional Playoff win vs. LAR, 1/16/21, carried 12 times for 65 yards. 2019 – Played in 14 games with two starts for Green Bay, totaling 107 attempts for 460 yards and one touchdown as well as 39 receptions for 253 yards and five touchdowns…Vs. Lions, Oct. 15, recorded 14 attempts for season-high 104 yards and added four receptions for 32 yards and one TD…At Kansas City, Oct. 28, recorded both a rushing and receiving TD in 31-24 road victory. 2018 – Played in 16 games with eight starts for the Packers, finishing with 121 rushing attempts for 464 yards and three touchdowns and catching 27 passes for 210 yards…Vs. Vikings, Sept. 16, rushed for 59 yards on a season-high 16 attempts…At NYJ, Dec. 23, rushed for a season-high 95 yards with a TD on 15 attempts (6.3 avg.) and had six receptions for 61 yards for 156 total yards from scrimmage. 2017 – Started in seven of the 16 games he appeared in for Green Bay, posting 153 rushing attempts for 556 yards and four touchdowns while adding on 25 receptions for 262 yards and two touchdowns…Vs. Lions, Nov. 7, scored his first career TD on his only rush and added two receptions for 31 yards…At Steelers, Nov. 27, recorded first career multi-touchdown game with one rushing TD and one receiving TD. Finished with 21 attempts for 66 yards and four receptions for 69 yards (17.3 avg.)…Vs. Buccaneers, Nov. 27, rushed 21 times for 113 yards and one Td while adding two receptions for ten yards. Marked first 100 yard rushing game.
COLLEGE – Played four seasons at BYU (2012-12, 2016), starting in 34 of 42 games he appeared in. Left as the program's all-time leader in rushing yards (3,901), rushing attempts (726) and 100-yard rushing games (16). Became the fourth player in school history to register multiple 1,000 yard rushing seasons. His 35 rushing touchdowns rank third in school history and his 4,468 rushing yards rank fifth.
PERSONAL – Starred at Summit (Fontana, Calif.) HS, where he helped his team to a CIF division title. As a senior, earned first-team all-league and first-team All-CIF honors after rushing for 1,252 yards and 22 TDs on 141 carries (8.9 avg.)...Cousin Victor Butler played linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys (2009-12), Saints (2013) and Indianapolis Colts (2014)…Mother Nicolle was a sprinter at UCLA.
