• Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts, upgrade to remove ads and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your BigSkyFans.com experience today!

Deshawn Shead

Amazing how innacurate journalists can be for the sake of saving space -- there is no such thing as an "ex-Viking." Once a Viking, always a Viking.

You got that right.

If things go right, the Seahawks could play in the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos. That would put Shead on the opposite sideline of another former Viking, Broncos tight end Julius Thomas. “That would be real cool,” Shead says. “Two teammates in college going against each other in the Super Bowl, that would be a wonderful opportunity.” Regardless of what happens, Shead is happy that he has been able to represent the Vikings in the NFL. “It’s very cool,” Shead said. “I’m glad I can represent Portland State and show out for Portland State. I went there for 4 1/2 years. I got my degree from there. That’s my school. We’re a smaller division school, so to represent them is a wonderful opportunity.”
 
DeShawn Shead Dominates His Game

http://750thegame.com/2014/02/14/deshawn-shead-dominates-his-game/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Super Bowl Champion DeShawn Shead, defensive back for the Seattle Seahawks, joined The Bald Faced Truth with host John Canzano on Friday to discuss his incredible journey from college football at Portland State University to his great successes in the NFL.

Shead was momentarily set back by the big moment of entering the Super Bowl arena. He tells host Canzano, “There was a split second where I was like–Oh man, I’m about to play some defense in the Super Bowl.” But he soon regained his bearings and realized, “I probably gotta finish this game, so let’s go.” After the Seahawks big win, Shead talks of the enormous celebration the team had. “I don’t think anybody went to sleep that night.”

PSU was a major milestone in Shead’s life and set him on course to his achievements in the NFL. He graciously praises his school, telling us that here, “I learned the game of football … how to prepare as a professional athlete. So, I went in to the Seahawks already knowing what to expect.”

After his life shaping college experience, Shead is a strong proponent of sports program funding. “Football is a big part of college,” he emphasizes. “If you take away from the program [then you’d be taking away from] students coming in, athletes coming in, [and] people wanting to go to your school.”

Listen to the full interview below:
 
DeShawn Shead learning all about being versatile in the Seahawks defensive backfield
DeShawn Shead, in his third year out of Portland State, is learning the free safety role with Seattle right now

http://seattletimes.com/html/seahawks/2024186799_seahawksshead29xml.html?syndication=rss" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Seahawks notebook: DB Shead a man of many roles

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/08/01/3313670/seahawks-notebook-db-shead-a-man.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RENTON — You might have a sore eye at the end of the day trying to keep track of DeShawn Shead on the Seattle Seahawks’ practice field.

With Kam Chancellor still out after offseason hip surgery, Shead has been pushed into action at three different positions the past two months — cornerback, free safety and strong safety — while also retaining his role as a tone-setter on special teams.

So how does he keep up with all of it? He became a sponge.

“I stay on top of it everyday. When the coaches are coaching the corners up in the meeting room, I listen to the coaching as if (defensive backs coach Kris Richard) was coaching me up,” Shead said. “When (Richard) is coaching the strong safeties up, I listen. Because you never know when I’ll be in at any one of those positions.”

Shead played only 16 snaps on defense last season — half of which came in the Seahawks’ 35-point Super Bowl victory. But the third-year pro out of Portland State will have a prime opportunity to show what he’s

learned when the Seahawks play a mock game at training camp practice Saturday and beyond that considering the departure of last season’s backup safety Chris Maragos.

Since the players weren’t in full pads in Friday’s walkthrough, Shead used his reps to help speed his mind up by seeing formations and routes.

“Today was a real good day,” Shead said. “We were focusing on resting our legs up for tomorrow. Real mental day just to be on our keys and on our landmarks.”

Chancellor participated in Friday’s workout, but Shead’s role won’t be diminished in the mock game. He will likely receive snaps at all three of his positions, but he’s mostly focused on the mental side — which he hopes will lead to big plays.

“(The mock game) is just to prove having no mental mistakes, doing my job,” Shead said. “(Richard) always harps on how there’s no real recipe to making plays except for doing your job and the plays will come to you.

“We knew it was coming up, so I’m excited to go out there and showcase my talent. But its just like any other day. I treat every day as if it was a gameday. Still got to stay on top of my keys and stay on top of my run fits, and things like that.”

While Shead has a refined work ethic off the field, he has a similar appetite for improving his ability on it by taking advantage of coaching.

“(Richard is) teaching me all the little things that I need to know, helping me with my technique, helping me with reading concepts and things like that,” he said.

He also hopes his progression on special teams will make him a standout next season.

“I plan to make an even bigger impact on special teams — trying to be one of the best in the NFL,” Shead said. “I’m learning everyday still at that, trying to get better everyday. It’s the little things that matter — technique, position, blocking, things like that.”

Shead might have a long way to go before replacing Pro-Bowlers in Chancellor or Earl Thomas. But he’s comfortable being in the position that he is.

“I feel a lot more comfortable than I have the past two years,” Shead said. “I’m feeling very comfortable at strong safety and corner, as well. Still learning everyday, getting better — there’s a lot to learn still.”

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/08/01/3313670/seahawks-notebook-db-shead-a-man.html#storylink=cpy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
"Your season ticket gift of DeShawn Shead will be mailed closer to the start of the football season."

Any idea as to what this gift is?

The letter that arrived with the season tickets sort of sounds like they will actually be mailing me DeShawn Shead. :lol:
 
Awwww.

http://deadspin.com/seahawks-cb-deshawn-shead-proposes-to-girlfriend-after-1637484039" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
I missed the game but it sounds like DeShawn got the start for Seattle today because of an injury to Chancellor. He had four tackles and they got the win.
 
DeShawn Shead is focused

Former PSU Viking has bigger role than ever with Seattle Seahawks

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/248635-117144-deshawn-shead-is-focused" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
With Seahawks’ Pro Bowl Safety Duo Out, DeShawn Shead And Steven Terrell Are The Next Men Up

http://www.seahawks.com/news/2015/08/04/seahawks%E2%80%99-pro-bowl-safety-duo-out-deshawn-shead-and-steven-terrell-are-next-men" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When Seahawks training camp opened and the best defense in the NFL took the field, an undersized but speedy free safety patrolled centerfield, while a bigger strong safety lurked closer to the line of scrimmage.
But unlike what we have seen in almost every game and practice dating back to the 2011 season, the starting safeties over the first four days of training camp weren’t Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but rather Steven Terrell and DeShawn Shead.
With Thomas currently on the physically unable to perform list while he recovers from shoulder surgery, and with Chancellor having not yet reported to camp, the Seahawks are getting a long look at their depth behind two of the best safeties in football. Opening the season minus two Pro Bowl safeties is hardly an ideal situation, but true to his always-positive nature, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll does see some good in a scenario in which two of the team’s most important players are replaced by former undrafted free agents who have one NFL start between them. For starters, the Seahawks are getting a chance to see just what they have at safety behind Chancellor and Thomas, something made more important by the loss of two key backups over the past two offseasons, Jeron Johnson and Chris Maragos.
While Shead has clearly emerged as Seattle’s top backup safety—he worked with the No. 1 defense at free safety in Thomas’ place throughout OTAs and minicamp when Chancellor was present—the picture is a lot less clear beyond that. Obviously Terrell is the next option at the moment, but Carroll also spoke highly of undrafted rookies Ronald Martin Jr. and Keenan Lambert, who is Chancellor’s half-brother, as well as seventh-round pick Ryan Murphy.
And just as importantly for a coach who prides himself in getting the best out of every player is the opportunity Shead and Terrell are getting to show what they’re capable of while playing alongside some of the best defensive players in the league.
“Nobody comes here to be a great backup,” Carroll said. “They don’t dream about, ‘oh I’m going to be a heck of a backup in the NFL,’ they dream about playing.”
And right now, Shead and Terrell are playing with the starting defense.
“We’re all brothers in this secondary, so if one person isn’t here, if one person goes down, it’s next man up,” said Shead, who started one game last season in place of Chancellor. “That’s our philosophy, so if somebody’s hurt or somebody’s not here, we don’t expect the level of play to drop, so you’ve got to be ready to step in and keep that same level of play, keep that same intensity. That’s our philosophy here.”
Terrell, who was originally undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2013, spent time with Jacksonville and Houston in 2013, then spent last season going back and forth between Seattle’s practice squad and active roster, appearing in four regular seasons games and all three postseason games. He has spent time working at safety and cornerback, and like most players in his position of trying win a roster spot and make a career for himself, he has embraced the attitude that “the more you can do, the better.” That’s similar to the path Shead took switching between cornerback and safety during his first two seasons before focusing mostly on safety last year.
“Every day, no matter where you’re at on the depth chart, you’ve got to study and prepare like you’re going to be in there with the ones,” Terrell said. “So when it actually happens, it’s just keeping the same routine, doing everything the same. I’m just trying to make the most of this opportunity, but I wish those guys were here.”
Until those guys are here, however, Shead and Terrell are the next men up, in charge of shoring up the back end of Seattle’s defense. And while Shead and Terrell don’t have the credentials of the Pro Bowlers ahead of them on the depth chart, they’ve impressed their teammates and coaches so far while in an elevated role.

“I’ve seen disciplined football,” cornerback Richard Sherman said. “They’re very sound football players. They’re exactly where they need to be when they need to be there. They’re assignment sound, they understand the concepts, they understand the verbiage of the defense, they understand how to communicate, that’s huge. That’s huge in this defense. Obviously Kam, Earl and myself have played together for going on five years now. There’s a different kind of understanding you know when you look at him—non-verbal communication we have with the chemistry—but these guys have stepped right in and done an admirable job.”
For Shead in particular, this season represents an opportunity to continue building on a career that took a big step forward last season. Undrafted out of Portland State in 2012, Shead spent most of his first two seasons on the practice squad waiting for his chance. He was promoted to the active roster late in the 2013 season and appeared in five regular games and three postseason games, almost entirely on special teams, though he did briefly play strong safety in Super Bowl XLVIII when Kam Chancellor suffered a minor injury on kick coverage.
Shead spent all of last season on the active roster and became one of Seattle’s top special teams players while also earning his first career start. Add to that a postgame on-field engagement, marriage and the birth of a daughter, Savannah, in April, and it’s been a pretty darn good year for Shead, and one that could get even better if he picks up in 2015 where he left off last season.
“I’m really excited about DeShawn Shead,” Carroll said. “He’s been such a great player on our team and waiting for his opportunity… DeShawn Shead’s chance is up right now.
“DeShawn has been a terrific Seahawk, he has done so many great things for us, and now it’s a big opportunity for him to show how far he can take it. Physically, he’s in extraordinary shape, he’s a great study kid, and he’s done everything, so we’re really thrilled about that. He’s a guy that can take this opportunity and see what he can do with it.”
Thomas will get healthy eventually, and Chancellor will show up at some point, and just like that the Seahawks will again have an experienced and talented duo at safety, knocking everyone else down a notch on the depth chart. But until that happens, Shead and Terrell are trying to capitalize on a big opportunity, and the early returns have been encouraging.
“Obviously it’s been a great opportunity for them, they’ve been doing a fantastic job,” defensive coordinator Kris Richard said. “DeShawn Shead, Steven Terrell, those are guys we have starting right now for us, and they’ve been around so they understand exactly what we need from them and they’ve been doing a great job.”
 
Seahawks' DeShawn Shead excited for Vikings, says Portland State 'needs football'

http://www.oregonlive.com/nfl/index.ssf/2015/09/seahawks_deshawn_shead_excited.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Shead started last night at CB in the Seahawks victory over the Steelers last night:


"With cornerback Cary Williams a healthy scratch Sunday, DeShawn Shead started opposite Richard Sherman and played well. The fourth-year defensive back out of Portland State had 10 tackles and four passes defensed."

http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/football/article/Seattle-Seahawks-coach-Pete-Carroll-says-TE-Jimmy-6665201.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Seattle Seahawks will continue with DeShawn Shead as a starting cornerback, while Cary Williams works to regain his role

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seattle-seahawks-will-continue-with-deshawn-shead-as-a-starting-cornerback-while-cary-williams-works-to-regain-his-role/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Monday that DeShawn Shead will remain as a starter at one cornerback spot while Cary Williams will have to work to regain his role.

While the Seattle Seahawks may have given up the second-most passing yards in the history of the franchise on Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers (480), coach Pete Carroll had only praise for the play of DeShawn Shead, who got the first start of his career as an outside cornerback.

Shead started at what is officially the team’s right cornerback spot, though because Seattle decided to have Richard Sherman follow Antonio Brown, Shead lined up all over the field. According to Pro Football Focus, Shead was targeted 14 times. Eleven of those came when Shead was matched up against Martavis Bryant, who caught five passes for 69 yards.

“He played a really good, tough game,” Carroll said Monday of Shead. “He had a lot of challenges and he came through at the point of the ball coming in a number of times. They got him once (a reference to a 40-yard reception by Bryant), but all in all, he played really good. Did a very good job. We were all really proud of him.”

Carroll also said Shead will start again Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Shead’s emergence raises the question of what happens now with Cary Williams, who was the team’s most-expensive off-season free-agent acquisition. Seattle signed Williams in March to a three-year deal worth $18 million, with $7 million guaranteed, wanting a veteran to help replace the departed Byron Maxwell. Williams started the first 10 games and earned praise for his play in some games, with coaches a few weeks ago saying he had worked hard to master the team’s kick-step coverage technique, something he had not used in his previous stops — Williams started every game in 2011-12 for the Ravens and 2013-14 for the Eagles.

But Williams was benched late in the third quarter against the 49ers and replaced by Shead after blowing a coverage that led to a 36-yard gain for tight end Vance McDonald and hasn’t seen the field since.

With the team deciding to start Shead against the Steelers, Williams was somewhat surprisingly declared as inactive for Sunday’s 39-30 win and did not suit up. Likely factoring in is that Williams is not a big presence on special teams (he had 51 special teams snaps in the 10 games he has played) and also does not really play the nickel spot. Seattle had four cornerbacks active for the game, a regular number, with Jeremy Lane back active this week joining Sherman, Shead and Marcus Burley.

Asked Monday about Williams’ role on the team now, Carroll said only that “right now he’s trying to fight for playing time, trying to get back in. Shead did a good job and we feel pretty good about DeShawn coming back again this week.”

Williams will be 31 in December and the Seahawks could save almost $4 million against the salary cap by releasing him (they will be stuck with $2.3 million regardless). So it may be more likely than not that Williams’ days with the Seahawks are already numbered.

Still, Seattle’s cornerback situation is in more of a state of flux now than the team surely hoped.

Shead has for now supplanted Williams as the other starter and maybe the team will decide that spot is his future, though he has previously been more of a utility player, seeing time at safety and nickel mostly.

Burley has had a tough year staying healthy, earlier breaking a thumb and Sunday suffering a sprained ankle that held him out of the second half against the Steelers. It sounds as if he will be back this week.

Lane played 35 snaps against the Steelers, which Carroll said was more than anticipated, and the team will need to see how his body responds to what was his first game since suffering an ACL tear and broken wrist in the Super Bowl.

“He’s pretty sore today,” Carroll said Monday. “He rolled all of fall camp and preseason games and all of that into one. I think he played 30-something plays, which was more than we had anticipated going in and had hoped for. So he’s feeling it a little bit today, but he’ll be all right. He didn’t get hurt or anything.”

The only other corners on the active roster are Williams and rookie Tye Smith, who has been inactive for all but four games this season and has yet to see a snap other than on special teams. Tharold Simon is on Injured Reserve after having toe surgery and undoubtedly still factors into the team’s long-range plans at cornerback.

What Williams’ future is, meanwhile, seems murkier than ever.
 
Selflessness pays off for Seahawks new starting CB DeShawn Shead

He’s played every position in the secondary and on special teams

Undrafted in 2012 out of Portland State, then on the practice squad as a rookie

“Love his story,” defensive coordinator Kris Richard says


Even in the high-profile, look-at-me NFL, selflessness pays off.

At least it sure has for the Seahawks’ newest starter.

No one drafted DeShawn Shead out of Portland State in 2012. The Seahawks signed the defensive back as a rookie free agent to their practice squad for most of that season. They put him on the active roster in early December.

In the two-plus seasons since, Shead has played on all four special-teams units: kickoff, kickoff return, punt and punt return. He’s played free safety and strong safety. He’s been the fifth, nickel defensive back inside against slot receivers.

Now, in this eighth edition of DeShawn Shead, he’s replaced Cary Williams as the Seahawks’ starting right cornerback. Shead will make his second career start there Sunday when Seattle (6-5) plays at NFC North-leading Minnesota (8-3).

“Definitely … I’m a big believer in hard work paying off,” Shead said. “I go out there and just try to do my job every day, not worry about any distractions. Just go out there and work hard — and one way or another hard work pays off. I’m a big believer in that.

“And it’s finally paying off.”

He made his first NFL start at cornerback in last weekend’s win against Pittsburgh. He was, in the word of coach Pete Carroll, “fantastic.” He knocked down three deep passes as the Steelers’ relentlessly targeted the new guy instead of All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.

Shead played a whopping 93 total snaps — every one of the defensive ones, plus 13 more on special teams. Nobody on the Seahawks played more than he did against the Steelers.

“You absolutely love the story, because it’s a testament to the commitment of faith, of trust, and preparation. He’s always kept himself ready,” said Seahawks defensive
coordinator Kris Richard, who as the team’s previous defensive-backs coach helped find and develop Shead to do just about everything but line the field before practices and games.

“You’re talking about a guy two years ago wasn’t on our team, was on the practice squad. Then he stepped into the Super Bowl, he played some reps in the Super Bowl, then kind of took off after that. He’s been a backup for us. He’s been a role player for us. And he’s kind of just waited, and got hardened by it all is really what it is.”

Not ticked-off, but hardened. Just wise. Or wiser. The thoughtful Shead was an Academic All-Big Sky selection while at Portland State.

“Not to the fact that where he got bitter or anything,” Richard agreed, “but he just kind of figured out how the NFL works. And when you get your opportunity how you have to seize it.”

Consider Shead as having seized it.

The Seahawks gave Williams, a former Super Bowl starter for Baltimore, a three-year, $18 million contract in free agency during March to sign him from Philadelphia. He was to replace departed free agent Byron Maxwell as the starter opposite Sherman. But Williams first struggled mightily with Seattle’s “step-kick” footwork technique of jamming at the line and then turning and running with receivers off it. After 10 starts of Williams blowing the same zone coverages, the Seahawks turned to Shead.

They are so turned off of Williams that they are paying him $3.5 million guaranteed this season to be inactive and in street clothes last weekend against the Steelers and possibly inactive at Minnesota. His contract is not guaranteed beyond this season, so Shead could have the job entering next offseason, too.

Unlike Williams, Shead has a more global view of the Seahawks’ defensive system.

“Playing safety, playing nickel, playing corner, that definitely helps my overall knowledge of the game,” Shead said.

It also helps that’s he’s so popular. Teammates almost fall over themselves to help him, and coaches do the same in praising him. While it’s true the Seahawks want every teammate to succeed, there is a palpable vibe they really want Shead to.

“He’s a guy that can do it all. He’s a jack of all trades and we really appreciate having him,” Sherman said. “We’ve been in some tight spots this year, where we were short on guys. Shead came in and he can play anything. If one of our (line)backers went down, I’m sure he could play Mike (middle linebacker) for a couple snaps for us. He’s that kind of player. And he’s selfless.

“It takes a selfless attitude to be that guy, to have to play safety, and then nickel, and then free — and then start at the corner because you don’t have a job. You don’t really have a specific job title. You just get in where you fit in. For him to take that in stride is admirable.”

Last weekend against Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Pittsburgh’s 59-pass, 490-yard onslaught was Shead’s first time playing a complete game at cornerback since his junior season at Portland State, Nov. 6, 2010, against Sacramento State.

He had been a cornerback for his first three college seasons, but teams quit throwing his way. So for the final two games of that junior season his coaches moved Shead to strong safety, where he could roam to the ball more and make more tackles against running games. His entire senior season he played safety.

That’s why the help Sherman and the entire secondary give Shead is even more useful as he plays wherever and whenever needed.

“Oh, very helpful. I’ve picked up a lot of my game, and the player I am today, from him,”
Shead said of Sherman. “Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, they’ve all helped me become the player that I am today.

“When I am at corner, Richard Sherman helps me on my technique, the step-kick technique, and just knowledge on what to do in the game situations.

“I’ve got a great supporting cast. That makes the transition easier.”

Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article48145030.html#storylink=cpy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top