The Cincinnati Bengals have claimed wide receiver Ke'Shawn Williams off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh waived the undrafted rookie to make room for Marquez Valdes-Scantling ahead of their Monday night game. Williams, who impressed in the preseason, will now finish the season with Cincinnati.
The Pittsburgh Steelers waived rookie wide receiver and return specialist Ke'Shawn Williams on December 16, 2025, to accommodate the addition of veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling to their 53-man roster. The move came as the Steelers had already used their two practice squad elevations for the week on edge rusher DeMarvin Leal and offensive tackle Jack Driscoll, with T.J. Watt and Andrus Peat sidelined for the game against the Miami Dolphins.
Williams, an undrafted free agent out of Indiana, signed with Pittsburgh following the 2025 NFL Draft. He quickly made an impact during the preseason with strong performances as both a receiver and returner, handling punt returns throughout that period. Although he did not secure a spot on the initial 53-man roster, the Steelers added him to their practice squad to start the season.
The rookie earned his debut in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, stepping in as the starting kick and punt returner after wide receiver Calvin Austin III suffered a shoulder injury during Week 4's game against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin. Over eight appearances with Pittsburgh, Williams recorded averages of 10.2 yards on 11 punt returns and 23.6 yards on 18 kick returns. He saw limited offensive action, logging just nine snaps without recording a reception, and contributed 59 special teams snaps overall.
A muffed punt in a late-game situation against the Los Angeles Chargers led to his removal from punt return duties, though he continued handling kickoffs alongside Kenneth Gainwell for several weeks. Williams was then made inactive for the Week 14 victory over the Baltimore Ravens as the team integrated veterans Adam Thielen and Valdes-Scantling.
Pittsburgh had hoped to re-sign Williams to their practice squad after he cleared waivers, but the Bengals snatched him up, as reported by NFL insider Tom Pelissero: "The Bengals claimed WR Ke'Shawn Williams off waivers from Pittsburgh." Now with Cincinnati, officially eliminated from playoff contention, Williams has an opportunity to showcase his skills for the remainder of the regular season. The Steelers could potentially bring him back on a Reserve/Futures contract in the offseason, similar to how they reclaimed undrafted rookie safety Sebastian Castro earlier in the year.
