LOS ANGELES – As Kyren Williams sprinted towards his mother, Taryn, in the front row at SoFi Stadium, he tossed her the ball and created a heart with his hands. The emotional moment was a testament to their unbreakable bond. “It just meant so much to me,” Taryn said, cherishing the ball as her own personal trophy.
Kyren, now a third-year pro, continues to build on his breakout season. Despite missing five games, he earned a Pro Bowl selection and rushed for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns. His dedication and perseverance have paid off, silencing doubters who questioned his size, speed, and position.
Introduced to football at a young age by his father, Larry Williams, Kyren knew it was a path he wanted to pursue. Taryn recalls her son telling her at just 5 years old that he was going to be an NFL player. She wasn’t surprised, given his athletic prowess, which included riding a bicycle without training wheels at 2 1/2.
However, Kyren often felt overlooked, believing his work ethic and skill set might not be enough to take him where he wanted to go. Taryn became his biggest advocate, promoting his abilities to coaches and recruiters. “There was always somebody else that was over me, getting all the offers, that was getting the ball, that was getting all this attention,” Kyren said.
Despite being listed as a three-star prospect in high school, Kyren’s work ethic impressed coaches like Jerry Stanfield and Tommy Rees. Rees, now an assistant with the Cleveland Browns, recalled Kyren’s recruiting visit to Notre Dame, where he was impressed by his work ethic and dedication.
Kyren’s senior season at St. John Vianney High School answered some questions, with 2,035 rushing yards, 725 receiving yards, and 40 total touchdowns. He committed to play running back for Rees at Notre Dame, where he became the first running back in 15 years to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in back-to-back seasons.
The Los Angeles Rams general manager, Les Snead, called Kyren to inform him he’d be pick No. 164 in the 2022 NFL draft. “I don’t remember much of the call because I was so emotional,” Kyren said. “I was just so lost in the moment that my dream was finally coming true.”
Now, Kyren is on course to provide backfield stability for the Rams, proving doubters wrong and silencing concerns about his size and ability to carry the load. As he takes the field, Kyren knows his mom is always in the stands, cheering him on and reminding him that he’s capable of achieving his dreams.
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