DeAngelo Williams provides humble reaction to College Football Hall of Fame nomination

Before DeAngelo Williams emerged as a star on the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers, he was a young, unproven recruit at the University of Memphis. He was recently nominated for the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame ballot as one of 156 players who have a chance to be inducted.

Despite the high honor, DeAngelo Williams told Memphis-area show Rise and Grind that he is taking a humble approach to the College Football Hall of Fame news.

“Me and my wife have been discussing this,” said Williams. “And this is what I wanted to bring up, this is honestly what I wanted to bring up. Me and my wife have been discussing this because everybody’s been congratulating me and I was like, everybody’s congratulating me because I’m on the ballot? Anybody can be on the ballot. Anybody can be on the ballot. That’s 156 people that, we only heard about four or five, so it’s going to be a lot of us that ain’t going to make it.

“I don’t understand this. Just to be on the ballot, somebody’s just got to be like, ‘man, what was that guy’s name that really ran hard that one time? You know what, DeAngelo Williams. We’re putting him on the ballot. … And I go, ‘I haven’t won anything, I have done nothing.’”

Despite his humble approach, Williams still owns several school records at Memphis. He holds the record for most career rushing yards at 6,026 – with NFL running back Darrell Henderson coming in second with 3,545 – and also holds the top two spots in single-season rushing yards and single-game rushing yards.

DeAngelo Williams on College Football Hall of Fame ballot

DeAngelo Williams also revealed how he found out that he had made the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame ballot and what his initial reaction was in the moment.

“I was scrolling through Twitter and there was a whole bunch of people congratulating me,” said Williams. “And I go, ‘what did I win?’ and I go, ‘hey, honey’ and she goes, ‘is it real?” and I go, ‘I don’t know.’”

Even after wrapping up his successful NFL career and retiring, Williams also says that the perspective he has against that of the fans remains mind-blowing to him as he reflects.

“I’m going to tell you what’s crazy though is perspective,” said Williams. “Because everybody was like, ‘hey, you were must-see tv’ and I was trying not to get my damn head taken off. That was my perspective. Don’t get killed. Everybody else is like, ‘man, you’re fascinating to watch,’ and I’m over there like, ‘I’m fighting for my life.’”