CINCINNATI — Ke’Shawn Williams has always felt like an underdog, and that chip on his shoulder helped him earn a spot on the Cincinnati Bengals’ roster as their new kick and punt returner.
The Bengals acquired Williams on waivers from Pittsburgh in December, and he played in their final three games, contributing 17 total returns for 298 yards combined and one reception for 5 yards.
Coming into this year, a spot was not assured. He was competing in a deep wide receiver room and battling Charlie Jones for the returnman role Jones had held since 2023, but the Bengals chose Williams. Jones was among those waived Sunday. He’s since signed with the Giants’ practice squad.
“Got the call from (wide receivers coach) Troy (Walters), letting me know that I made the 53, and you know, it was a journey this camp, and to get that call shows all the work was worth it, all the patience was worth it, everything,” Williams said.
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Williams joins a wide receiver corps highlighted by Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who are working through minor injuries this week. Chase will work back from a hyperextended knee in limited fashion, while Higgins is nursing a heel contusion, according to Bengals coach Zac Taylor.
That gives Williams more reps to keep preparing during three days of practice this week, before both starters are expected to be back in full next week.
Williams had signed with the Steelers as a college free agent last offseason after finishing his college career at Indiana University following a four-year stint at Wake Forest. He played eight games for Pittsburgh, averaging 23.6 yards per kickoff return on 18 attempts before he was waived.
Taylor said he showed potential in his three games with Cincinnati at the end of last season, but proved it this camp.
“I think that goes back to last season, the faith,” Taylor said. “I saw him do it live in games. So, he did a great job there (on returns), made some plays as a receiver this training camp, and I just think he is a valuable weapon to have, however it shakes out, whatever his role ends up being for us on game day. He earned the opportunity, so it was good to keep him out there.”
Williams knew there was “no room for error,” but he came in with the mentality he had “nothing to lose.” That’s how he made it with the Steelers, how he earned another chance with the Bengals and now how he’s earned a role on the 53-man roster.
“I'm not supposed to be here, but I find a way every time,” Williams said. “And you know that courageousness and having that family support and everybody supporting me that backs me all the time.”
“I've never been a top dog anywhere,” Williams added. “I've always been an underdog. Always had to fight, claw, scratch to find a way to make a way. And you know, to this point, I've done it. But you know, nobody's telling me no, you can't be here. But you know, that's kind of the mentality I had to also encourage myself.”
Williams said he just tried to take it “one day at a time,” digesting what he learned each practice and focusing on applying it to the next. He impressed in training camp with some flashy catches and that carried into preseason on offense and special teams.
Before he was rewarded with the call from Walters ahead of roster announcements Sunday, Williams got a special moment in the preseason finale Friday when he caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Sean Clifford in his hometown of Philadelphia.
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“A touchdown at home in my home city, you know, with 100 people in the crowd that I knew, and coming out to the game and seeing my whole family out there supporting and cheering for me, it was a moment I would never forget,” Williams said.
Taylor and the staff had some hard decisions to make Saturday and Sunday to put together the initial 53-man roster and to finalize the practice squad Monday and Tuesday.
The final product is a deep roster that Taylor said was “fun to put together,” once all the calls were made.
“It was very challenging letting guys know that in other years maybe they would have made the 53, maybe would have made the practice squad, that they weren't going to get that this year or come back, but top to bottom, I feel like it's a really good group, and excited to get these guys,” Taylor said.