Cowboys’ Javonte Williams holds no hard feelings against Denver ahead of reunion
“We bet right.”
When the Dallas Cowboys had a hole at running back this offseason, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and his personnel staff, led by vice president of player personnel Will McClay, had a name at the top of the list: Javonte Williams.
“Once free agency started, the phone started ringing,” Williams said. “A lot of teams started calling. I felt like the Cowboys was the best place for me. I felt the love, and I’m glad I’m here.”
Seven months later, it’s easy to understand why Schottenheimer and Williams both feel that the decision was the correct one. In seven games, Williams has rushed for 592 yards (second in the NFL) and a career-high six touchdowns to help power the No. 1 offense in the NFL behind Schottenheimer’s play-calling. It’s been a marriage that has been fruitful from day one.
“Just the suddenness, the way he would jump-cut, the way he would run through contact and yards after contact, which is a big thing for running backs,” Schottenheimer said about what stands out about Williams. “I like big backs, I really do. That’s the type of league it is right now with how everything is played and physical. You do see a guy that creates explosives. Why does he do that? Because he doesn’t hesitate.”
“It jumped off the film [from last year in Denver]. It wasn’t something that they felt like [they needed], but we knew it was something we wanted to add to our team.”
Amid a career resurgence, Williams heads into Week 8 of the season with an established role for the most prolific offense in the league and into a matchup against his former team in their home stadium on Sunday.
While the game can be billed by many as his return game or his revenge game, Williams didn’t bite into the narrative on Wednesday when he was asked about the opportunity to play against the Broncos — even if he did offer a smile and laugh behind his words that said more than his quotes.
“I’m just going out there to play my game, do what I have to do,” Williams said. “I’m trying to make plays for my teammates. ... I feel like it’s just another championship opportunity. We treat every game the same. Great team with a great defense and a great offense.”
He’s too good. He knows anything he’d give the media would be a headline. But surely, somewhere in there, Williams has some sort of chip on his shoulder, right?
“He’s going to be excited,” offensive coordinator Klayton Adams said. “Because he’s always excited to play. But I’m sure in the back of his mind somewhere, there’s some extra excitement. Just knowing the type of professional that Javonte is, I know this is the most important game to him because it’s the one we’re playing this week.”
In four seasons in Denver, Williams emerged early on as a young back with physicality and juice in the run and pass game. He was well on his way to establishing himself as one of the top backs in the league before a torn ACL early into his second season derailed his progression.
He would return in time for the season opener in year three, but he was never able to reach the status he once had before the injury, rushing for just 1,287 yards in 33 games before his contract expired at the end of last season.
“It was just a good atmosphere,” Williams said. “I love the team, the staff, the coaches. I had a good time. It probably didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, but I’m here now. ... I feel like [the split] was mutual. They wanted to go a different route. I felt like the Cowboys wanted me, so this is where I wanted to be at.”
With a two-season stretch that didn’t offer much optimism toward his potential to be a starter in the NFL, how did the Cowboys “bet right” after all?
“There were probably a lot of people that were probably kicking the tires on Javonte,” Adams said. “With the injury, you’re not really sure. What our personnel department and Schottenheimer saw was, ‘We have an opportunity here, because we think this guy is really good.’
“Coming out in the draft, I always thought he was a good player. I remember thinking during his first two years in Denver that he was going to be really good. I always had a high opinion of him, so no, I’m not surprised [he’s playing well].”
Even if Williams wants to dismiss the storylines around his return, it’s a prophetic one for a player that was basically left at the curb by the organization less than a year ago — even if he walked to the curb himself. With the production he’s had this season attached to his name and a powerful Broncos defensive front waiting on the other side of the line of scrimmage, the matchup will be one of the more intriguing across the NFL landscape this weekend.
But also, there’s some credit due to Williams as well. In a world that loves to seek out negative instead of the positive sometimes, he chose the latter. Because if it wasn’t for Denver leaving him in free agency, he wouldn’t be in the position he’s in. And more importantly, he realizes that.
“I just wanted to be here,” Williams said. “[Schottenheimer] said he likes to run the ball and be physical, and I like those things too. He just told me to come in and compete.”
Competed, he has. And he’ll have another golden opportunity to do so on Sunday when he takes the field at Mile High.
This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 6:54 PM.
