Kyren Williams Bio
Kyren Lawrence Williams is an American professional football running back for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Williams grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and attended St. John Vianney High School, excelling in both rushing and receiving during his high school career. He continued to make a significant impact at Notre Dame before joining the NFL, where he has been recognized for his performance and selected to the Pro Bowl.
Early Life and Background
Kyren Lawrence Williams was born on August 26, 2000, in St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in the same city and attended St. John Vianney High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, where he quickly developed into one of the most productive two-way players in the region. His profile rose as he combined offensive production with defensive playmaking, drawing attention from college recruiters across the country.
During his junior season at St. John Vianney, Williams rushed for 922 yards and 22 touchdowns while also adding 51 receptions for 774 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a senior, he elevated his game further, rushing for 2,035 yards and 26 touchdowns and catching 55 passes for 725 yards. He was named the St. Louis Metro Area Offensive Player of the Year for that senior campaign and also contributed on defense, recording 92 tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, and eight interceptions.
Path to American Football
Coming out of high school as a three-star recruit, Williams committed to play college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He chose Notre Dame over scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Stanford, and Wisconsin, citing the program’s tradition and offensive scheme as key factors. He enrolled early at Notre Dame to begin his college career ahead of schedule.
As a true freshman in 2019, Williams played in Notre Dame’s first four games before the program held him out to preserve a year of eligibility. The decision set the stage for a major role the following fall. Going into his sophomore year in 2020, he was named Notre Dame’s starting running back, opening the door for a breakout campaign and establishing the foundation for his future NFL trajectory.
Kyren Williams Career
Early Career (2019–2021)
Williams joined the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as an early enrollee and saw limited action during his 2019 freshman season. He preserved his redshirt and entered 2020 as the starting running back, immediately earning ACC Running Back of the Week honors after rushing 19 times for 112 yards and two touchdowns while also catching two passes for 93 yards in the season opener. He finished the year with 1,125 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 211 carries, along with 35 receptions for 313 yards and one touchdown.
His sophomore performance earned him second-team All-ACC recognition, ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year, and ACC Rookie of the Year. As a junior in 2021, Williams remained the starting running back and posted 204 carries for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns with 42 receptions for 359 yards and three touchdowns. On December 10, 2021, he declared for the 2022 NFL draft and opted out of playing in the Fiesta Bowl. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round (164th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft.
Rookie Season (2022)
Williams’ rookie season was marked by an early setback. After not playing in the preseason, he suffered a high ankle sprain on the first kick return of the Rams’ 31–10 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills on September 8, 2022. He was placed on injured reserve on September 13, 2022, designated to return on October 26, and activated on November 12.
Once healthy, Williams appeared in ten games and received significant offensive snaps in eight of them. He finished his rookie season with 35 carries for 139 yards and nine receptions for 76 yards but did not score a touchdown.
NFL Breakthrough (2023)
Williams announced his arrival as a feature back in 2023. In the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, he carried 15 times for 52 yards and scored his first two career touchdowns in a 30–13 road win. The following week against San Francisco, he supplanted Cam Akers as the Rams’ starting running back and became the first player in franchise history to score multiple touchdowns in each of his first two games of a season.
He recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game in Week 4 at Indianapolis, totaling 103 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns. After a Week 6 performance of 158 rushing yards against Arizona that sent him back to injured reserve, he returned in Week 12 with 143 rushing yards and two receiving touchdowns and earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He became the first Rams running back to surpass 1,000 yards rushing since Todd Gurley in 2018, was named to the Pro Bowl, and earned second-team All-Pro recognition.
Los Angeles Rams Era (2022–Present)
Williams began the 2024 season as the Rams’ starting running back and scored a touchdown in each of the first two games. He scored all three of his team’s touchdowns in a Week 3 victory over San Francisco, including a notable 15-yard reception in which he somersaulted over 49ers strong safety Talanoa Hufanga at the goal line. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards again in Week 14 against Buffalo and posted a season-high 122 yards in a Week 16 win over the New York Jets.
In the playoffs, Williams recorded 76 rushing yards and a 5-yard touchdown reception in the Rams’ 27–9 NFC Wild Card Game win over Minnesota. The following week, he ran for 106 yards on 19 carries in an NFC Divisional Playoff loss to Philadelphia but lost a critical fumble in the fourth quarter. On August 5, 2025, Williams signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension with the Rams that runs through 2028.
Driving Style and Strengths
Williams combines a compact frame at 175 pounds with strong vision, balance, and receiving ability out of the backfield. He is productive as both a runner and a pass catcher, with reliable hands and the agility to make defenders miss in space. His work in pass protection and his nose for short-yardage and goal-line carries have also become defining traits of his game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Williams became the first Rams running back to top 1,000 rushing yards since Todd Gurley in 2018, a milestone he reached during the 2023 season. He was also the first player in franchise history to score multiple touchdowns in each of his first two games of a season in 2023 and was later named to the Pro Bowl, second-team All-Pro, and ranked 78th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.
Kyren Williams Career Wins
Kyren Williams has notched major milestones across the high school, college, and professional levels. While individual game win counts vary across his career, his statistical breakthroughs and postseason appearances define his record of accomplishment.
College Highlights
Williams earned second-team All-ACC honors and was named ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year in 2020. He followed that with a second-team All-American selection in 2021, capping his junior season with 1,002 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Other Wins & Performances
Williams was a key contributor to Notre Dame’s 2021 regular season, including a 31–16 victory over USC in which he posted 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns, followed by 199 rushing yards and a touchdown in a 44–34 win against North Carolina.
Kyren Williams Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Williams is a cousin of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, reflecting a family connection to the NFL.
Personal Life
Kyren Lawrence Williams grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and has maintained ties to his hometown throughout his professional career. He is the first cousin of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams.
2025 Season Performance
Williams enters the 2025 season as the Rams’ clear lead running back following his three-year, $33 million contract extension signed in August 2025. The new deal, which runs through 2028, locks him in as the offensive centerpiece of the backfield and reflects his production across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
After back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and continued reliability as a receiver, Williams is positioned to remain a focal point of the Rams’ offensive game plan. The team will count on his vision, contact balance, and pass-catching ability to drive both the running game and third-down situations.
With playoff experience from the 2024 NFC Wild Card and Divisional rounds now behind him, Williams’ outlook for 2025 centers on sustaining his workload, staying healthy, and helping the Rams compete in the NFC West.