PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams joined “The Fan Morning Show” on Wednesday to chat with the guys coming off the team’s bye week, with a tough road matchup in Seattle awaiting them on Sunday.

Williams, who has done an admirable job filling in for Le’Veon Bell during Bell’s suspension and subsequent injury, has often talked about how being released by the Panthers this offseason lit a fire under him. But, Williams said his doubters in Carolina aren’t the only ones that have fueled him this year.

“It’s evolved,” Williams said. “It really has. It started off [with] the motivation from Carolina, just receiving the letter saying why they released me being hung up at my house. I pass it every day on my way to work. But, it’s not even that. What keeps me going is the media and people telling me what I can’t do.”

Williams feels that he has been given a hard time simply because he isn’t Le’Veon Bell, and that outsiders have continued to doubt him even after he showed what he can do earlier this season.

“It started out as saying, ‘Hey, DeAngelo, for the first two games, we hope he can hold up and be productive in the backfield,'” Williams said. “Then, after the two games, I held up pretty well, and then the media goes, ‘Can he hold up? Can he keep it up?’ I told people time in and time out when I first got here to just sit back and enjoy the show. That’s all you have to do.”

Williams was also asked about what it’s like playing a big game at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field. It’s something he’s familiar with given that the Panthers played a playoff game in Seattle last season.

“It wasn’t as loud as I thought it was going to be, but it was still extremely loud,” Williams said. “I thought that it was louder in Minnesota when we played them in (the Metrodome), but I don’t know, maybe with me being older my hearing is just not as good as it used to be.”

Finally, Williams was asked about what he thinks of fellow running back Le’Veon Bell. Williams responded with effusive praise for the young star.

“He is a pro’s pro,” Williams said. “He really loves football, and football loves him back, because you can tell by how he dominates the game.”

Williams added on a couple bold statements to drive the point home.

“Hands down, he’s the best all-around back in the National Football League,” Williams said. “I would even compare him to Marshall Faulk, with probably a little bit more quickness.”

The interview can be heard here:



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