DeAngelo Williams says Panthers cut him

Feb 24, 2015 - 2:06 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - DeAngelo Williams says he's being released by the Carolina Panthers after nine seasons.

Williams, who will turn 32 in April, told Charlotte's WBTV that he was told he'd be cut by the team last week during a meeting with Panthers coach Ron Rivera.

According to Williams, Rivera said the Panthers "don't run the ball enough" to keep both him and Jonathan Stewart on the team.

Panthers spokesman Steven Drummond said in an email that Williams has not been released.

Williams appeared in only six games this past season, missing the last four regular-season contests because of a broken hand. The Panthers went 4-0 in those games with Stewart as the starter and won a second consecutive NFC South title despite a 7-8-1 record.

Stewart, 27, rushed for 809 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. Williams rushed for a career-low 219 yards and failed to score for the first time since he was drafted by the Panthers No. 27 overall in 2006.

The former Pro Bowl selection had just eight touches in two playoff games -- six runs and two catches.

"I don't feel bitter at all," Williams told the station. "(Stewart) had the hot hand at the end of the season. He's a great running back, obviously ... I don't feel bitter at all. It's a business."

Williams rushed for a career-high 1,515 yards in 2008, leading the league with 18 touchdowns that season. He gained 6,846 yards in 117 games for Carolina with 46 touchdowns on the ground and another seven through the air.