‘Those dudes have some big feet’: Raiders RB working on unique promise

Raiders running back Zamir White may not have factored in all of the logistics when he promised his offensive linemen new shoes for helping him surpass 100 yards rushing Monday.

“I’m trying to find them, but those dudes have some big feet,” White said, laughing.

He is currently in the process of trying to fulfill the orders. He admitted he was taken aback when he started collecting sizes.

White, after finding out he would be starting a second straight game for an injured Josh Jacobs on Monday, approached offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and vowed to secure Jordans for each lineman if he eclipsed the century mark.

White soared past it with a 43-yard run with 2:27 remaining in the Raiders’ 20-14 victory. His burst salted away a stunning win for his team, which got little from its passing game. White finished with 145 rushing yards on 22 carries.

He backed up his promise after the game by making it public, though he may not have been ready for the challenge of making it happen.

“There’s a size 15, a 16 and even an 18,” White said, exasperated. “That’s real hard to find. That’s what I’m working on right now.”

The Georgia product’s real focus remains on the field. The 2022 fourth-round pick made the most of his opportunity to fill in for Jacobs the past two weeks after waiting for his chance for almost two seasons.

White, who credited Jacobs as a mentor, is starting to come into his own. The shy and soft-spoken back has been trending on social media and getting messages from all over the world.

“It’s not my favorite thing,” White said. “I’m a chill, quiet, laid-back guy. It’s pretty cool, I guess, but it doesn’t really mean much to me. I just want to keep on working, keep on grinding. That’s about it. But I am getting a lot of crazy stuff (online). I don’t even look at it any more. I just keep looking forward.”

White could be in line to carry the load again for the Raiders. Jacobs has been listed as a non-participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday with his quad injury.

That means the Raiders may need to lean on White on Sunday in Indianapolis in a pivotal game in the AFC wild-card race. He may not offer to buy gifts again if he has another huge game. But he did shout out his lineman again this week.

“Honestly, what I was most excited about was just the linemen getting those blocks and (fullback Jakob Johnson) and the receivers downfield,” he said. “It made me happy seeing those guys do great like that. It’s a beautiful sight to see for me.”

The bill for the shoes may not be as visually pleasing.

Manning the middle

The dominance of the Raiders’ defensive line against the Chiefs’ offensive front was just as obvious on film as it was in live action Monday.

Defensive tackle Adam Butler wasn’t surprised by how his group performed.

“When I watched on film, I was just thinking this is who we really are,” Butler said. “When we’re able to get on the same page and perform that way, just be in the right places at the right time consistently, it’s big and that’s what it looks like. It’s a big confidence boost, but that’s just who we are.”

Butler is also showing who he is. He’s recorded three sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games in his first year with the Raiders.

“I think I’ve been doing pretty good,” Butler said. “There’s some places I can be better, but every week I just try to make sure I’m an important factor in the game. I want to make sure I’m part of the reason we won and that I didn’t hold the team back. I feel like I’ve done that consistently throughout the year.”

Butler had a sack on Kansas City’s first drive of the game. Each player along the front won their individual battles throughout the contest, which put the vaunted Chiefs offense in a bad spot.

“I think it’s definitely contagious, but it’s a mindset more than anything,” Butler said. “You have to put your mind to it every week that you’re going to dominate your matchup and do your job so we can win.”

Injury report

The Raiders held a walkthrough for the second consecutive day Thursday and didn’t change their estimates on what players’ participation levels would be.

Jacobs and tight end Michael Mayer (toe) were the only two cited as non-participants.

Defensive ends Maxx Crosby (knee) and Malcolm Koonce (ribs) remain limited, along with Eluemunor (knee), offensive tackle Kolton Miller (shoulder), center Andre James (ankle) and wide receiver DJ Turner (shoulder).

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.