Jonathan Williams (born February 2, 1994) is an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Arkansas Razorbacks The Arkansas Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletics teams representing the University of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Fayetteville. The University of Arkans ...

and was selected by the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...

in the fifth round of the

2016 NFL draft The 2016 NFL draft was the 81st annual draft of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park in Chicago. The draft beg ...

. Williams has also been a member of the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

, Washington Football Team / Commanders and

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

Early life

A native of

Allen, Texas Allen is a city in Collin County, Texas, Collin County in the U.S. state of Texas, and a northern suburb in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The population was 104,627 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 111 ...

, he attended Allen High School, where he collected more than 3,500 rushing yards in his career and scored 39 total

touchdowns A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...

. Considered a four-star recruit by '' Rivals.com'', he was rated as the 17th best

prospect of his class, and drew comparisons to former

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...

running back Michael Turner. On November 16, 2011, he committed to play

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

, after he had previously been committed to

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

College career

As a

true freshman The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see '' Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...

in 2012, he played in 11 games, and made two starts. He recorded 45 rushes for 231 yards and eight receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns. He scored his first career touchdown on a 74-yard pass, his first reception of his career, on the first offensive play of the game against

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

. As a sophomore in 2013, he played in all 12 games, making 11 starts. He recorded 150 carries for 900 yards, scoring four touchdowns while adding seven receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Teaming with true freshman Alex Collins, they produced Arkansas' second pair of teammates to each rush for at least 900 yards in the same season.

Darren McFadden Darren McFadden (born August 27, 1987) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks football, Arkansas ...

and

Felix Jones Felix Jones Jr. (born May 8, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for the Arkansas Razo ...

were the only previous tandem to do so, achieving the accomplishment in the

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

and 2007 seasons. In 2014, despite splitting carries with Collins, he rushed for 1,190 yards on 211 carries (5.6 avg) and 12 touchdowns. On December 24, 2014, Williams announced on

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in a message to Razorback fans that he would be returning for his senior season at Arkansas. During summer camp leading into the 2015 season, Williams suffered a foot injury that would force him to miss the entire upcoming regular season.

Professional career

Buffalo Bills

The

selected Williams in the fifth round (156th overall) of the

. On May 13, 2016, he signed a four-year contract with the Bills. On September 3, 2017, Williams was released by the Bills.

Denver Broncos

On September 5, 2017, Williams was signed to the

practice squad In gridiron football, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. They serve as extra players during the team's practices, often as part of the scou ...

of the

New Orleans Saints

On November 14, 2017, Williams was signed to a two-year deal by the New Orleans Saints off the Broncos' practice squad. On September 1, 2018, Williams was waived by the Saints and was signed to the practice squad the next day. He was promoted to the active roster on September 8, 2018. He was waived on September 28, 2018.

Indianapolis Colts

On October 2, 2018, Williams was signed to the

' practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on November 20, 2018. In Week 11 of the 2019 season against the

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...

, Williams rushed 13 times for 116 yards in the 33–13 win. The following week, Williams ran for 104 yards and a score against the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...

on ''

Thursday Night Football ''Thursday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''TNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that broadcast primarily on Thursday nights. Most of the games kick off at 8:15 Eastern Time (8:20 prior to ...

''. Williams appeared in nine games and recorded 49 carries for 235 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on the 2019 season.

Detroit Lions (first stint)

Williams was signed by the

on August 17, 2020. He was released on September 5, 2020, and signed to the practice squad the next day. He was elevated to the active roster on September 12 for the team's Week 1 game against the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

and reverted to the practice squad on September 14. He was released on September 22.

Washington Football Team (first stint)

On October 7, 2020, Williams was signed to the

Washington Football Team The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

's practice squad.

Detroit Lions (second stint)

Williams was signed off Washington's practice squad by the Lions on October 30, 2020. He fumbled on his only carry as a Lion. Williams was waived on December 24, 2020.

Washington Football Team (second stint)

Williams re-signed to Washington's practice squad on December 31, 2020. On January 11, 2021, Williams signed a reserve/futures contract with Washington. He was released on August 31, 2021, but re-signed to their practice squad on September 6, 2021. He was released on November 2.

New York Giants

On November 17, 2021, Williams was signed to the

practice squad.

Washington Football Team / Commanders (third stint)

On December 8, 2021, Williams was signed off the Giants' practice squad by Washington. He scored a rushing touchdown in a Week 14 game against the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

. Williams re-signed with Washington on January 11, 2022. Williams re-signed on another one-year contract on February 24, 2023. He was placed on

injured reserve The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in ...

on August 29, 2023, and was released with an injury settlement two days later. On November 7, 2023, the Commanders signed Williams to their practice squad. His contract expired when the teams season ended January 7, 2024.

References

External links

Arkansas Razorbacks bio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Jonathan Living people 1994 births Players of American football from Allen, Texas American football running backs Arkansas Razorbacks football players Buffalo Bills players Denver Broncos players New Orleans Saints players Indianapolis Colts players Detroit Lions players Washington Commanders players Washington Football Team players New York Giants players