DeShawn Williams

DeShawn Williams's Biography

DeShawn Shamaine Williams is a highly recognized professional American football player who plays the defensive end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He has a rich football career that extends from his college days at Clemson to several stints with different NFL teams.

Born on December 29, 1992, Williams quickly rose to fame with a promising career in football. He initiated his journey in the world of professional football by signing with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2015. However, his stint was short-lived as he was let go during the final roster cuts on September 5, 2015. Williams didn’t lose heart and continued his efforts, getting signed on the practice squad for the Bengals a day after his release. He spent the entirety of his rookie season passionately honing his skills on the practice squad.

In January 2016, Williams eagerly signed a reserved/futures contract with the Bengals. But victory came at a price. Fast forward to November 2016, he found himself released again by the Bengals. He faced yet another flip-flop in his fortunes when he was re-signed to the team two days later.

Williams faced another wave of setbacks in 2017 when he was waived by the Bengals and found himself back on the practice squad. A glimmer of hope came in January 2018 when he signed another reserve/future contract, this time with the Denver Broncos. However, after eight months of earnest dedication and hard work, he was waived again in September 2018 and returned back to practice the very next day. He was again released from the squad in mid-September.

Even with numerous setbacks, he continued his pursuit relentlessly. In October 2018, Williams found a spot in the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad. Sadly, this association was short-lived when he was released in December 2018. Regardless, Williams quickly bounced back and signed with the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad. By January 2019, he signed a reserve/future contract once again and was waived in April.

Resilience defined him as Williams fought back and was signed by the Broncos in May 2019. He faced another hurdle by August and was released yet again. This was followed by a brief encounter with the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he was signed by the Calgary Stampeders in December 2019, but was released within eight months of his tenure. The 2020 CFL season was postponed due to COVID-19, and he never got a chance to play.

In August 2020, Williams re-joined the Broncos, marking his third stint with the team. He was waived yet again in September, only to be re-signed by the practice squad the very next day. He got a lucky break and was promoted to the active roster later that month.

Over time, his dedicated efforts paid off when Williams recorded first career interceptions against the New England Patriots and two career sacks on Miami Dolphins. Williams entered the 2021 season as a backup interior defensive lineman. The momentum finally picked up as he managed to record an impressive 39 tackles, one sack and two passes defended throughout the season playing 15 games with eight starts.

His football career took a tremendous leap in March 2022 as he re-signed with the Broncos and went on to record a career-high 4.5 sacks, asserting his dominance on the field. This was followed by a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and a brief spell with the Buffalo Bills in 2024. Facing another release in the final cuts wasn’t enough to deter him. In September 2024, Williams came full circle, signing back with the Carolina Panthers practice squad.

Throughout his career, Williams has displayed tremendous resilience and perseverance, bouncing back from repeated releases, and demonstrating an admirable commitment to his passion for the sport.