Damien Williams Explains Decision to Opt Out of 2020 NFL Season

Kansas City Chiefs RB Damien Williams has explained that his decision to opt out of the 2020 NFL season is based on his mother's stage-four cancer diagnosis.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams became the second member of the team to opt out of the 2020 NFL season on Wednesday. Now, in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Williams has shed some light on the reason he's chosen to forgo the year.

"I'm dealing with a family matter," Williams said. "My mom was just diagnosed with cancer, and it's stage four. There was no other... that was my decision. With everything that was going on, she was the only one there for me. I never had the opportunity to have my dad there, so my mom is my rock, my everything. During a hard time like this, I think I should be next to her every step."

Chiefs RB Damien Williams explains his reasoning for opting out of the 2020 NFL season, that hits close to home.

"It was hard.. football is my life, especially coming off a championship"

👇 Audio 👇 pic.twitter.com/c3uEEeSL25

— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) July 30, 2020

Williams said it was a difficult decision to opt out of the year and that he talked to his family and others close to him, including his mother, who said she'd support whatever decision he would eventually make. Ultimately, Williams said he knew what he needed to do.

"At the end of the day, it's hard," Williams said. "Football is my life. Especially coming off a championship and wanting to do a repeat, which I know they're going to handle that, but at the end of the day, it's just something personal I have to handle." 

Williams was asked how head coach Andy Reid responded to the news, but Williams said he only spoke to general manager Brett Veach about his decision as of the time of the radio interview.