When the Chiefs needed a big gain to ice their victory in Super Bowl LIV, Damien Williams was there to answer the call.
He won't be around to do so in 2020. Williams informed the team Wednesday he will be opting out of the 2020 season, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach announced in a statement.
"As an organization, we certainly understand and respect Damien's choice, knowing it was made in the best interest of his family," Veach said. "He means a lot to our football team as a player and a person, and we're going to miss having him around this season."
Williams saw the largest workload of his career in 2019, taking 111 carries in the team's first 11 weeks. His 498 yards were a career high, and that was before he made his greatest impact in the postseason.
Williams rushed for 104 yards in Super Bowl LIV, with 38 of those coming on the game-sealing touchdown run in the final stages of the sport's biggest game. He also caught a touchdown pass earlier in the fourth quarter to give Kansas City the lead as part of a furious, 21-point fourth quarter, nearly winning Super Bowl MVP for his efforts.
The Chiefs will instead forge ahead without him, placing an additional burden on rookie first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
