Former Bulldogs’ defensive back and current Cincinnati Bengals safety Shawn Williams recently sat down with UGA Athletics’s video team to talk about the impact that Georgia left on him.
“You’re never too good to get better and just every day, go out and find motivation. I miss it. Like even being back here, it’s just like be where your feet are at. Just don’t take it for granted. You’re going to miss these days You’re going to miss the guys. One day you’ll be very thankful for what Georgia did for you. You’ll always cherish those days and remember them. Georgia’s home for me. Any chance that there’s an opportunity to come back and be a part of the ‘G,’ that’s special in my heart so that’s always going to be the decision that I make.”
Willams played under former Georgia coach Mark Richt from 2009 to 2012. During his career in Athens, he had 209 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and four interceptions. Willams is best known for when he called out Georgia’s defense in 2012 before the annual rivalry game in Jacksonville versus Florida.
Williams called out the defense saying they were “soft” and they responded by helping pull off an upset over the No. 2 Gators. In that game, the Bulldogs forced six turnovers en route to a 17-9 win with Williams accounting for five solo tackles and one assisted tackle. That win boosted Georgia’s confidence as they went on the win the SEC East that year, but fall to Alabama in the SEC Championship game that came down to the final play.
Williams was selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Bengals where has spent the last seven years. He has compiled 408 total tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, 25 pass deflections, and 12 interceptions while in the league.
Here is the video: