KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs running back Darrel Williams has tried to tell Patrick Mahomes that he’s a pass catcher.
Now, there’s empirical data to back up Williams’ claims in the form of an amazing 38-yard touchdown catch during the Chiefs’ 41-14 win Sunday at the Las Vegas Raiders.
Williams was targeted nine times and finished with nine receptions for 101 yards with one touchdown, all career-highs.
“These hands,” Williams said, glancing down as he looked at his palms then the backs of his hands, “they work.”
Williams was supposed to be a safety valve on the play. He chipped the defensive end then released into the flat.
Mahomes had retreated from his initial drop to escape pressure and buy time, but the pocket was crumbling again, so he shot through a gap and started to motor toward the line of scrimmage.
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The plan was to run, but as receivers flashed open Mahomes reconsidered. He caught a glimpse of Williams in single coverage near the goal line and heaved the ball in his direction.
“It’s crazy,” wide receiver Tyreek Hill said. “To be honest, I didn’t see Darrel down the field at all, so when Pat was scrambling, doing his thing, I was like, ‘Dang, is he past the line?’ Then, I see him throwing it, I turn around and see Darrel and think, ‘I know he’s not fitting to just throw this at Darrel.’ His big-booty tail just jumped up there and caught and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s wild.’ They made a play.”
Williams actually finished with more catches and yards than Hill, who had a respectable day of his own with seven catches for 83 yards and two first-half touchdowns.
“I never thought that for real, for real,” Williams said of racking up more receiving yards in a game than Hill — a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler in his six-year NFL career.
Mahomes wound up 35 of 50 for 406 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions, but Williams had a show-stealing performance. He also added 11 carries for 43 yards, giving him a career-best 144 total yards from scrimmage.
As the Chiefs built a 17-7 halftime lead, Williams’ power runs up the middle and chunks in the passing game on screens and checkdowns helped keep Kansas City on schedule and chugging down the field.
“I’ve been telling everybody for the longest (time) that I can do everything you need me to as a running back — whether that’s catching, running or blocking,” Williams said. “I can do every single thing.”
