BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Former standout defensive lineman and current NFL player Nick Williams returned to campus last Saturday for the Bulldogs' 44-20 win over No. 23 Mercer at Seibert Stadium.
 
Williams returned to campus as a guest of the Samford Bulldog Club. He watched as the Bulldogs took on Mercer with family and friends from the balcony of the Sullivan-Cooney Family Field House.
 
"It's always good to come back home to Samford where my dream of playing in the NFL was made possible and where I met my beautiful wife," Williams said.
 
Williams played at Samford from 2008 to 2012. For his senior season in 2012, Williams had 31 tackles, including 15 solo stops. Williams had seven sacks and eight tackles for a loss last season. His seven sacks ranked second in the Southern Conference.
 
Williams was selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014 and 2015, and the Miami Dolphins in 2016. In 2018, he joined the Chicago Bears, and in 2019, Williams had a breakout season. That season, Williams had a career-high 42 tackles, and he led the Bears with six sacks.
 
Prior to the 2020 season, Williams signed with the Detroit Lions. During the most recent season, Williams had 22 tackles, including 11 solo stops and one sack.
 
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