Ke'Shawn Williams is an undrafted return specialist who found a role in Cincinnati's kicking game after his path took him through Wake Forest, Indiana, and Pittsburgh.
Ke'Shawn Williams built his path to the NFL through the return game, using speed and instincts as a returner to carve out a roster spot after going undrafted. After a stop with the Steelers, he landed in Cincinnati and quickly became the Bengals' primary kick and punt returner down the stretch of the 2025 season.
Path to the league
Williams played college football for Wake Forest before finishing his career at Indiana. He went undrafted and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, appearing in eight games for Pittsburgh during the 2025 season before being waived.
Career highlights
Williams was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025, giving him a fresh opportunity as a wide receiver and return specialist. His speed and vision in the return game quickly made him a factor on special teams.
2025 season recap
After his stint in Pittsburgh, Williams closed out the 2025 season with the Bengals as their primary kickoff and punt returner over the final three games, averaging 25.4 yards per kickoff return on eight attempts and 10.6 yards per punt return on nine attempts.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Ke'Shawn Williams
- ESPN: Ke'Shawn Williams
Statistics
2025 season and career2025 Season · Receiving
3 games played▶Receiving · career
| Year | Team | GP | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | bengals | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
▶Rushing · career
| Year | Team | GP | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | bengals | 3 | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 9 |
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Indiana
- Hometown
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
