Locals in the NFL: Tyler Allgeier, Jamaal Williams break franchise records in Week 18

AROUND THE SHIELD — With 135 yards on 24 carries, Tyler Allgeier became the first-ever BYU running back to run for 1,000 yards in an NFL regular season in the Atlanta Falcons' season finale Sunday against Tampa Bay.

A few hours later, Jamaal Williams made it two.

In inarguably the best year by two BYU running backs in the NFL, Allgeier stood out in the Falcons' 30-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2022 season finale.

But did he have any idea how close he was to breaking a franchise record by a rookie?

"Not at all," Allgeier told Atlanta-area reporters, shaking his head. "First of all, it was to make the team — for real. Then everything just kind of fell into place. I didn't really have the stats lined up. It was more just doing my job."

Williams joined the club on Sunday Night Football when he ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in the Detroit Lions' 20-16 road win over the Green Bay Packers. The sixth-year pro from Rialto, California — who needed just 6 yards for his first-ever 1,000-yard season as a pro — is the Lions' first 1,000-yard rusher since Reggie Bush in 2013.

Williams also broke the Lions' franchise record for most rushing touchdowns in a season, edging out former all-time great Barry Sanders' record of 16 rushing scores that had stood since 1991 with a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"Everybody's happy for Jamaal," Lions coach Dan Campbell told Detroit media after his lead rusher finished the season with a career-best 1,066 yards and 17 touchdowns. "I can tell you this: all those guys, the fact that he got 1,000 yards and surpassed Barry's record, it means a lot to the offensive line and everybody involved in that run game.

"Everybody to a man is excited for Jamaal. He's the ultimate team guy. If he's not practicing, you have to force him to sit down; he won't say a word. He goes out there every day, even if he shouldn't be practicing. That's the way he's wired; he's one of the most unselfish players I've ever been around."

Allgeier thanked his offensive line after the 5-foot-11 running back from Fontana, California, who briefly moved to linebacker as a walk-on at BYU before being selected 151st overall by the Falcons last April for helping him finish with 1,035 rushing yards and three touchdowns, the most yards by a Falcons rusher in franchise history and breaking William Andrews' record of 1,023 yards set in 1979.

The first ones to celebrate with the back? Those same linemen.

"They were so excited about Tyler getting that 1,000-yard record," Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said.

Allgeier became the first 1,000-yard single-season rusher from Atlanta since Devonta Freeman in 2016. Freeman is the only other running back in the last decade to top the mark, doing so twice in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016.

Calling it history may be a stretch, but Smith said they knew exactly what the Falcons were getting out of their fifth-round prospect.

"We were very confident (in Allgeier); obviously, there's a reason that we drafted him," the coach said. "I don't know if anyone was running the ball better than (Cordarrelle Patterson), but he missed some time and Allgeier stepped in and did a nice job.

"I think he really took off. … But we had a lot of confidence when we took him out of BYU."

Here's how other former Utah high school and college football standouts performed in Week 18 of the 2022 NFL regular season, which wrapped up on the second weekend of 2023.

Sunday Night Football

Detroit 20, Green Bay 16

Lions (9-8)

• Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: Starting running back piled up 72 yards on 16 carries, including a pair of 1-yard touchdowns, on offense
• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills: Started at right tackle

Packers (8-9)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Active, but did not play
• Dallin Leavitt, S, Utah State/BYU: Reserve safety played mostly on special teams

Sunday afternoon

Atlanta 30, Tampa Bay 17

Falcons (7-10)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Starting running back posted game-high 135 yards on 24 carries, added a tackle on fumble return

Buccaneers (8-9)

• Deven Thompkins, WR, Utah State: Starting wide receiver caught four passes for 25 yards, one run for 17 yards on offense; returned one punt for 12 yards with a fair catch and one kickoff for 24 yards

Buffalo 35, New England 23

Bills (13-3)

• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting nickel totaled eight tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defended

Patriots (8-9)

• No locals on the active roster

Minnesota 29, Chicago 13

Vikings (13-4)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Starting defensive lineman had two tackles on defense

Bears (3-14)

• Patrick Scales, LS, Utah State/Weber: Played five snaps on special teams
• Braxton Jones, OT, SUU/Murray: Started at left tackle

Cincinnati 27, Baltimore 16

Bengals (12-4)

• Jalen Davis, CB, Utah State: Inactive for Week 18
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham: Active, but did not play

Ravens (10-7)

• Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah: Inactive for Week 18 (shoulder, wrist)
• Marcus Williams, FS, Utah: Starting free safety totaled seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defended on defense

Houston 32, Indianapolis 31

Texans (3-13-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Colts (4-12-1)

• Julian Blackmon, FS, Utah/Layton: Starting free safety posted team-high eight tackles, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery on defense
• Zack Moss, RB, Utah: Starting running back ran for a game-high 114 yards on 18 carries, including a 15-yard touchdown, and caught three passes for 7 yards before adding a tackle on an interception return

Miami 11, NY Jets 6

Dolphins (9-8)

• Eric Rowe, S, Utah: Reserve safety made three tackles, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery on defense

Jets (7-10)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon: Active, but did not play
• Bradlee Anae, DE, Utah: Signed Saturday by Jets but inactive for Week 18

Carolina 10, New Orleans 7

Panthers (7-10)

• Brady Christensen, OG, BYU/Bountiful: Starting left guard left with an injury (ankle)

Saints (7-10)

• Taysom Hill, TE, BYU: Reserve tight end ran for 24 yards on five carries, caught one pass for 1 yard on offense
• Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU: Starting strong safety posted four tackles, one pass defended and a 14-yard interception return on defense
• Chase Hansen, LB, Utah/Lone Peak: Reserve linebacker made one tackle on special teams
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Starting wide receiver caught three passes for 34 yards, ran once for 7 yards on offense; caught five fair catches on punt return
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial: Starting linebacker made two tackles on defense

Pittsburgh 28, Cleveland 14

Steelers (9-8)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East: Reserve tailback ran for 36 yards on six carries, caught three passes for 7 yards on offense and added a tackle on special teams
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve safety made one tackle on special teams

Browns (7-10)

• No locals on the active roster

Denver 31, LA Chargers 28

Broncos (5-12)

• No locals on the active roster

Chargers (10-7)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Starting cornerback had one tackle, one pass defended on defense
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Reserve linebacker had five tackles, a sack and a pass defended on defense
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem: Reserve safety posted five tackles on defense and recovered a fumble on special teams

Philadelphia 22, NY Giants 16

Eagles (14-3)

• Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State/Stansbury: Waived Friday afternoon after making four starts in 25 games since 2019
• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Reserve receiver returned two punts for 30 yards with two fair catches

Giants (9-7-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Seattle 19, LA Rams 16

Seahawks (9-8)

• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton: Starting linebacker totaled a team-high seven tackles and a pass defended on defense

Rams (5-12)

• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Converted field goals of 22, 45 and 38 yards with one PAT and four kickoffs on special teams
• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker had a team-high seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit on defense
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Starting defensive tackle totaled two stops on defense

San Francisco 38, Arizona 13

49ers (13-4)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker tallied eight tackles on defense
• Mitch Wishnowksy, P, Utah: Punted five times for 218 yards (43.6 yard average) with three punts downed inside the 20 in 11 snaps on special teams

Cardinals (4-13)

• Leki Fotu, DT, Utah/Herriman: Starting nose tackle made one stop on defense
• Ty'son Williams, RB, BYU: Reserve running back caught one pass for 5 yards on offense after signing Saturday

Washington 26, Dallas 6

Commanders (9-8-1)

• Dax Milne, WR/RS, BYU/Bingham: Reserve receiver returned seven punts for 55 yards (7.9 yard average) with three fair catches and a fumble recovery on special teams

Cowboys (12-5)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham: Starting tight end caught four passes for 33 yards on offense

Saturday afternoon

Kansas City 31, Las Vegas 13

Chiefs (14-3)

• No locals on the active roster, but coached by former BYU offensive lineman and graduate assistant Andy Reid

Raiders (6-11)

• Harvey Langi, LB, BYU/Bingham: Starting linebacker had two tackles in 12 snaps on defense before leaving the game with an injury (concussion protocol)
• Jackson Barton, OT, Utah/Brighton: Reserve tackle played three snaps on special teams
• Andre James, OC, Herriman: Starting center played all 70 snaps on offense

Jacksonville 20, Tennessee 16

Jaguars (9-8)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker totaled two tackles in 31 snaps on defense, five on special teams

Titans (7-10)

• No locals on the active roster

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