Titans’ James Williams Honors Tim Shaw After Rare Feat

The Tennessee Titans managed their second win of the season against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14, and pulled off another unique victory in the meantime. No one on the Titans had blocked a punt since 2012, and linebacker James Williams Sr. broke that 13-year streak in the fourth quarter.

Williams dedicated the ball to Tim Shaw, a former Titans linebacker who became the last Titan to block a punt in a 2012 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shaw, 41, has been struggling with ALS since 2014.

"He's always giving me pointers, and tips," Williams said of Shaw, h/t Tim Wyatt. "He's going to love (seeing this), he might jump out of his chair. That ball is for him. It's a blessing to do that for somebody like Tim, who comes out every day and coaches us. That was for Tim."

Tennessee Titans linebacker James Williams Sr. (52) celebrates his interception during the second quarter of an NFL pre-season game against the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titans special teams coordinator John Fassel had been reminding Titans players of the drought all season, and Williams finally made it happen.

"We'd been preparing all year for this, waiting on the right opportunity," Williams said. "and it finally presented itself today."

Tim Shaw's Legacy

Tennessee Titans linebacker Tim Shaw (59) reacts after he gives Oakland Raiders wide receiver Yamon Figurs (13) a hard hit at LP Field in Nashville on Sept. 12, 2010. The Titans won their home and season opener 38-13. | Jae S. Lee / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Shaw was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 draft, and played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears before the Titans claimed him off waivers in 2010. Shaw was the Titans' special teams captain from 2011-12, and was released from the team in 2013, marking the end of his NFL career.

In 2014, Shaw revealed that he had been diagnosed with ALS while participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge trend of that year. In 2016, Shaw signed a one-day contract with the team to retire as a "Titan for life." In 2017, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame awarded Shaw with the Champion Within Award for his resilience.

Williams, 22, was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 draft by the Titans, originally as a safety, but has made the transition to linebacker for his professional career. Williams appeared in 13 games his rookie season, and has appeared in 12 this year, with six total tackles in 2025.

The Titans' second victory took them down one notch in the race for the first-overall draft pick in 2026; the Titans now have a 2-11 overall record and remain squarely at the bottom of the AFC South. They are preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 as the underdogs once again.

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