Pirates Re-Sign IFL's Top Rusher Williams Jr.
Published on January 2, 2026 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Orlando Pirates News Release
ORLANDO, FL - The Orlando Pirates have re-signed running back Pooka Williams Jr. for the 2026 season. In just his first season in the Indoor Football League, Williams Jr. won the 2025 rushing title and was an All-IFL Second Team selection. In 13 games, the former star running back at the University of Kansas led the league with 201 carries, a Pirates single-season record, for an IFL best 795 yards. Williams Jr. was a workhorse as he averaged just over 16 carries and four receptions per game. Against the Jacksonville Sharks on May 20, he recorded a team record with 26 carries. A threat to break a big play at any moment, his longest run from scrimmage was 41 yards against the Green Bay Blizzard on July 18, and he also returned a kickoff 45 yards in the season finale against the Bay Area Panthers.
Williams Jr. rushed for three touchdowns in his first game against Jacksonville and had two 100-yard rushing games. Williams Jr. ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns against Tucson and had a season high 140 yards and two scores against Jacksonville on May 29. The New Orleans native averaged four yards per carry with 11 touchdowns and was second in the league with 61.2 rushing yards per game.
Pirates CEO and General Manager Jawad Yatim expresses his gratitude for what Williams brings to the Navy and Teal. "One trait that's apparent within our most productive running backs has been the ability to consistently make the initial defender miss. On a smaller field and confined space such as ours, you can imagine that's important, and the kid is great after initial contact. Durable beyond his frame, he's a tough player, and his versatility allows our offense to comfortably utilize multiple sets. We're excited to have him back. We're focused on putting out an entertaining product, and he's an entertaining player."
A former kick returner with the Cincinnati Bengals, Williams Jr. was fifth in the league with 1,274 all-purpose yards and ranked sixth, averaging 98.0 all-purpose yards per game. He had 118 yards in kickoff returns and proved he could catch the ball as well. Williams Jr. tied for tenth in the league with 52 receptions, 361 yards, with two touchdowns.
The 5'10", 185 lb. speedster signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bengals in 2021. He joined the practice squad and, in December of that year, was added to the active roster. Williams made his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Chargers and returned three kicks for 52 yards. He subsequently signed a futures contract with Cincinnati and remained with the team until August of 2022.
In 2023, Williams Jr., who hails from New Orleans, LA, was drafted in the seventh round of the XFL Draft by the DC Defenders. He was later claimed off waivers by the St. Louis BattleHawks. Williams Jr. was later re-signed by the Defenders and helped the team to a first-place finish in the league's North Division. He returned ten kickoffs for 273 yards and five punts for 33 yards. He also had one carry at running back.
In 2024, Williams Jr. played in the UFL as he was selected by the Defenders and saw the field in one contest, rushing once for nine yards. He also had two receptions, returned five kickoffs for 122 yards, and returned three punts for another 35. After his release from DC, he signed with the San Antonio Brahmas. In three games, he rushed for nine yards on four carries and had four receptions for 12 yards. He also had 10 kickoff returns for 262 yards with a long of 44 yards.
Williams Jr. made his mark collegiately with the Kansas Jayhawks. As a freshman in 2018, he ran for 1,125 yards on 161 attempts while scoring seven touchdowns. He also caught 33 passes for 289 yards and two more scores as he was named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, as well as being a First Team All-Conference selection. Four times that season, he ran for over 100 yards in a game, including a 252-yard performance against Oklahoma.
As a sophomore, he posted four more 100-yard games, including a 190-yard effort against Texas. At the end of the season, his 1,402 rushing yards made him just the second Kansas running back to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He also broke Gale Sayers' Jayhawk record for most rushing yards in a player's first two seasons. He added 27 receptions and 214 receiving yards en route to his second consecutive All-Big 12 First-Team selection.
After four games in the 2020 season, Williams opted out of the remainder of the season to assist his mother in Louisiana, who was battling health issues. Williams Jr. finished his Jayhawk career with 2,363 rushing yards, which was good for ninth all-time in school history. In 26 games, he ran the ball 425 times with an average of 5.7 yards per carry with 12 rushing touchdowns. He also had 66 receptions for 534 yards and four touchdowns.
Indoor Football League Stories from January 2, 2026
- Pirates Re-Sign IFL's Top Rusher Williams Jr. - Orlando Pirates
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