Sports

Broncos Javonte Williams feels "weight lifted off of me" in return from ACL tear

By CBSColorado.com Staff

August 21, 2023 / 12:12 PM MDT / AP

Lots to feel positive about after Broncos preseason loss

Broncos running back Javonte Williams was back in the backfield for Denver over the weekend. It was his first game back since tearing his ACL in Game 4 of last season.

Javonte Williams of the Denver Broncos gets tackled by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles of the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter of a preseason game at Levi's Stadium on August 19, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images

Coach Sean Payton said they weren't going to give him much action against the San Francisco 49ers, but he ended up being busy early running with his bruising style and also catching the football.

Williams said he "was thinking it was going to hurt" when he got tackled for the first time by an opponent.

"It was like a weight lifted off of me," he said, referring to when a defender on the 49ers tackled him for the first time on Saturday. "But I really didn't feel it."

Things started off for Williams with a drop on a screen pass but he was efficient (3 carries for 12 yards, 4 catches for 18 yards) before he and other starters were pulled in the first half. The Broncos ended up losing the preseason game 21-20.

Williams is expected to split the majority of the snaps with newcomer Samaje Perine.

CBSColorado.com Staff

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