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Though a member of the Denver Broncos in 2024, the Cowboys are counting on Javonte Williams this year.

The Dallas Cowboys had a virtually non-existent run game in 2024, yet don’t expect that trend to continue under Brian Schottenheimer in 2025.

The first-year Cowboys coach spoke glowingly about Javonte Williams, who will start for Dallas in its season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Dallas was 27th in the NFL in rushing yards per game in 2024 (100.3) and was dead last in the league in rushing touchdowns (6) under coach and offensive play-caller Mike McCarthy.

Yet, Schottenheimer swears that will be different, despite Dak Prescott’s return from a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9 plus the off-season acquisition of wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What Did Brian Schottenheimer Say About Javonte Williams?

In four seasons with the Denver Broncos, Williams averaged just 4.0 yards per carry and had a career low in scrimmage yards per game (50.5) despite playing all 17 games and starting 11 in 2024.

Yet, Williams has earned his head coach’s trust.

“I have no questions about [Williams],” Schottenheimer said. “I don’t worry about Javonte.”

The 5-10, 220-pound back is like tackling a bowling ball due to his low center of gravity. Schottenheimer also detailed how Williams can acclimate based on his previous experiences, if he gets caught upright.

“On Wednesday, we were running an inside run, and the safety — it was actually [Cowboys rookie safety] Alijah Clark came running down,” Schottenheimer said, “and Alijah had gotten him a couple of plays earlier. [Williams] had gotten a little high, and Alijah got him, and [Williams] got a little lower.”

Williams has registered 1,000-plus scrimmage yards twice in his career, including his rookie season where he set career highs with 903 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. But he can also be a force in the passing game, since he has 99 catches in the past two years and posted a career-best 346 receiving yards in 2024.

So in whatever facet the Cowboys call him to play, Schottenheimer believes he’ll be ready.

“He plays the game one way,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s very physical, and he plays it with passion and really good pad level.”

Who Is The Cowboys’ RB1?

Williams may be listed as the starting running back, and he may appear on all the TV graphics as such Thursday night, but he is hardly the only Dallas back that will get reps.

Aside from signing Williams, the Cowboys also inked former Eagles running back Miles Sanders to a free-agent deal and drafted two running backs — fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue from Texas and seventh-rounder Phil Mafah from Clemson, who is starting the season on injured reserve.

Yet, more than who will be carrying the ball, Schottenheimer wants physicality and the ball-control focus — what critics might derisively call “Marty Ball” when his father was a head coach in the NFL — as the Cowboys identity this year, even if the offense still uses Prescott and his receivers often.

“You have to play physical in everything you do,” Schottenheimer said. “We want to be balanced. We want to run the football. There’s got to be a marriage between your runs and your passes, and then you’ve got to be ready to adjust.

“You can be very physical as a football team and not just do it running the football.”

Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens