Chiefs rumors: Former Super Bowl champion signs with the enemy
The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten under the skin of their AFC West counterparts because they were able to win the division title in each of the past seven seasons. Not to mention, three trips to the Super Bowl and two Lombardi Trophies. So, why not sign some former players to help out for the upcoming season?
For the Las Vegas Raiders, they decided to bring in one of their former starters on offense.
According to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Raiders signed former Chiefs starting running back Damien Williams.
Williams had been with the Chiefs from 2018 until the conclusion of the 2020 season. After initially being an option off the bench in his first year with the team, he eventually grew into the starter's role in the team's Super Bowl run the following campaign.
During the 2019 regular season, Williams ran for 498 yards and five touchdowns on 111 carries, while catching 30-of-37 targets for 213 yards and two touchdowns. In the playoffs, Williams recorded 196 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 46 carries and 11 receptions for two touchdowns on 20 targets. In Kansas City's Super Bowl 54 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Williams ran for 104 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, and caught four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown on eight targets in the 31-20 victory.
Williams opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Entering the 2021 league year, Williams was released by the team. In 2021, Williams played for the Chicago Bears, where he was an option off the bench. Last year, the running back signed with the Atlanta Falcons, but was injured in Week 1.
Now, Williams joins a Raiders team that is without star Josh Jacobs, who is holding out after both sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension. Jacobs had expressed his disinterest in playing on the franchise tag, which is worth $10.1 million for the upcoming season.
Las Vegas' running back depth chart is currently led by Zamir White, with Ameer Abdullah, Branden Bolden, Brittain Brown, and Sincere McCormick following him on the depth chart.
Chiefs rumors: Patrick Mahomes has Eric Bieniemy's back despite Commanders complaints
Eric Bieniemy has become the talk out of Washington Commanders training camp. After failing to land a head coaching gig, he opted to leave the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent and signed on with the Commanders to run the offense. But thus far in camp, players have complained about Bieniemy's intensity, according to head coach Ron Rivera.
Bieniemy defended his coaching style, saying he's trying to push his players to get the most out of them. He said that while he'll be "their biggest and harshest critic," he's also "going to be their number one fan."
At Chiefs training camp, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked by The Athletic's Nate Taylor about the complaints Bieniemy has been receiving about his coaching style. Mahomes defended his former offensive coordinator, saying that Bieniemy will always hold players accountable, and reiterated that his former coach would be "your No. 1 supporter."
The video of Mahomes' comments comes courtesy of FOX 4 Kansas City's Harold Kuntz.
Mahomes wasn't the only player to come to his defense. Former Chiefs wide receiver and current member of the Miami Dolphins, Tyreek Hill, came to Bieniemy's defense on Twitter, urging Commanders players to "take that coaching and get better."
Bieniemy will look to build up the offense that features wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel, in addition to running back Brian Robinson. That, and Bieniemy will be working with quarterback Sam Howell, who is the presumptive starter entering his second year with the team.
Chiefs rumors: Will Patrick Mahomes, starters play in preseason Week 1?
The Kansas City Chiefs officially open up the preseason on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET, as they go on the road to take on the New Orleans Saints. As is the case for every preseason game, it allows players on the roster bubble to show their coaches that they're deserving of a spot on the 53-man roster. These games also present the opportunity for starters to get a feel of the play-calling before the start of the regular season.
Chiefs fans are probably curious if the team's starters are going to play on Sunday afternoon for the first preseason game, especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
While speaking with reporters on Friday, head coach Andy Reid said that Mahomes and all available starters will play roughly a quarter in the first preseason game. Mahomes is expected to play for the first quarter before calling it a night.
For Mahomes, he's all for playing in the preseason, as he told reporters he wants to take that first hit to get ready for the campaign.
"I always say that first hit, you want to get hit where it's not too hard, but you can feel it," Mahomes said, h/t ESPN "You go through a long offseason of working through the pocket and knowing the guys are rushing, but they can't touch you, so it's just different when you get in the game and you're able to get tackled and everything like that.
"I like to have at least one or two drives under my belt to say that I'm ready to go [and] we're doing the right things. Coach Reid, he allows me to do that."
Mahomes is coming off of a special 2022 season. Without Tyreek Hill, Mahomes won his second NFL MVP award after throwing for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns, both totals leading the league. That, and he led the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl title in four years, while playing through a high-ankle sprain.
For those Chiefs fans who were wondering if Mahomes in the starters were going to play, the answer is yes. So, be sure to turn on the game prior to kickoff.
