Veteran safety Shawn Williams signed a new contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Williams spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals.
The #Cardinals are signing former #Bengals safety Shawn Williams to a one-year deal, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 29, 2021
Shawn Williams, Arizona Cardinals, Agree to Contract
After nearly a decade in Cincinnati, safety Shawn Williams receives his next opportunity. During his first eight seasons in Cincinnati, he grabbed 12 interceptions and 14 quarterback hits. Williams played a role on special teams in Cincinnati, playing 66% of the team’s snaps with that unit last year. He was also a part of three playoff runs with the team from 2013 to 2015. Now, he’ll get a chance to chase success in his new role.
Williams was a regular starter in Cincinnati from 2016 to the 2019 season. He appeared in 58 games, making starts in 57 of those opportunities. However, when the team signed Vonn Bell last offseason, it shrank Williams’s role. He made appearances in 13 games during the 2020 season, playing in 8% of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps. Williams served a one-game suspension after intentionally stepping on Solomon Kindley’s foot in a Week 13 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
The safety played college football at the University of Georgia. While a Bulldog, he logged 30 starts in 54 career games, picking up 209 tackles, 11 pass breakups, four interceptions, and one sack. He was eventually selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by Cincinnati. He initially ranked third on the depth chart behind George Iloka and Taylor Mays, a pair of veterans.
While in Cincinnati, Williams took opportunities to get involved in the community. He learned that 43% of students in his native Blakely, Georgia lacked access to laptops. “It’s important that every child has fair access to information and technology,” Williams said in a statement. “So I am thankful for all of those that helped with this event in any way.” Williams donated $80,000 and raised another $20,000. The funds allowed for the purchase of Chromebooks for every student at Early County High School. Eventually, Williams was named the Week 7 NFL Players’ Association Community MVP.
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