Desmond King

TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in fifth round (151st overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft…Acquired via trade by the Tennessee Titans from the Chargers on Nov. 2, 2020…Signed by the Houston Texans as an unrestricted free agent on March 30, 2021...Re-signed with the Texans on March 21, 2022...Waived by Houston on Aug. 28, 2023...Signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 31, 2023...Waived by Pittsburgh on Oct. 18, 2023...Signed to Houston's practice squad on Nov. 20, 2023...Elevated from the practice squad via standard elevation on Nov. 25, 2023...Signed to Houston's active roster from the practice squad on Nov. 29, 2023...Signed a contract extension with the Texans on March 12, 2024.

TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in fifth round (151st overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft…Acquired via trade by the Tennessee Titans from the Chargers on Nov. 2, 2020…Signed by the Houston Texans as an unrestricted free agent on March 30, 2021...Re-signed with the Texans on March 21, 2022...Waived by Houston on Aug. 28, 2023...Signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 31, 2023...Waived by Pittsburgh on Oct. 18, 2023...Signed to Houston's practice squad on Nov. 20, 2023...Elevated from the practice squad via standard elevation on Nov. 25, 2023...Signed to Houston's active roster from the practice squad on Nov. 29, 2023...Signed a contract extension with the Texans on March 12, 2024.

HONORS:

• AP First Team All-Pro - Defensive Back (2018)
• AP Second Team All-Pro - Punt Returner (2018)
• AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 9, 2018)
• AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 13, 2018)

CAREER:

• One-of-six defensive backs (Harrison Smith, Jordan Poyer, Kenny Moore, Mike Hilton and Tyrann Mathieu) with at least 8.0 sacks and nine interceptions since 2017
• Became just the sixth player in NFL history and second defensive back (Roy Williams, 2002-03) ever to post multiple pick-sixes and at least four sacks over the first two seasons of his career
• Was one of five players in 2017 (Carlos Dunlap, Cameron Jordan, Ryan Kerrigan and John Simon) to post an interception returned for a touchdown and at least 3.0 sacks

2023 (Pittsburgh 3/0; Houston 8/3, 2/1):

• Played in eight games with the Texans this season (three starts) and totaled 46 tackles (22 solo), five tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one quarterback hit
• Elevated from the practice squad ahead of Week 12 vs. Jacksonville (11/26), where he totaled one solo tackle in his first game of the 2023 season as a Texan and made a critical tackle as time expired at the end of the half to keep Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. out of the end zone
• In the Week 13 win vs. Denver (12/3), led the team with nine combined tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss in his first start of the season
• In the Week 15 overtime win at Tennessee, led the team with a career-best 11 combined tackles (six solo), while adding 1.0 sack, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss
• Marks his first time in the sack column since 1/3/21 at Houston as a member of the Titans
• Tallied a team-high 11 total tackles (four solo), two tackles for loss and one pass defensed in Week 16 vs. Cleveland (12/24)
• Led the team with 12 tackles (seven solo) in the Wild Card win vs. Cleveland (1/13)
• Finished with five solo tackles, 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and two tackles for loss in the Divisional Round at Baltimore (1/20)
• Sacked QB Lamar Jackson on the play following LB Blake Cashman's sack to close out the first half, which marks his second sack in the postseason of his career, the last of which came on 1/6/19 at Baltimore as a member of the Chargers

2022 (Houston 17/13):

• Appeared in 17 games (13 starts) totaling 87 tackles (59 solo), 10 tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two interceptions, eight passes defensed and two fumble recoveries this season
• Notched six total tackles (five) and two passes defensed vs. Indianapolis (9/11), marking the seventh game of his career with two or more passes defensed
• Caught a punt returned it 31 yards at Chicago (9/25), the longest punt return for the Texans so far this season
• Had a career-high three passes defensed and his eighth career interception, returning it for 29 yards to seal the Texans first victory of the season at Jacksonville (10/9)
• Tied his career-high with 10 tackles vs. Washington (11/20)
• Posted the fourth fumble recovery of his career and returned it for 15 yards vs. Cleveland (12/4)
• Recorded his second fumble recovery in the last three games after it was forced by DL Mario Addison vs. Kansas City (12/18)
• Posted his second interception of the season (ninth of his career), picking off Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence again vs. Jacksonville (1/1/23)

2021 (Houston 16/12):

• Played in 16 games (12 starts) in his first season as a Texan, totaling a career-high 86 defensive tackles (62 solo) as well as one tackle for loss, three interceptions (tied his career high), six passes defensed, one forced fumble and a career-high seven special teams tackles (six solo)
• Led the team with eight tackles (five) in his first game as a Texan in the season opener vs. Jacksonville (9/12)
• Started his first game as a Texan at Buffalo (10/3), leading the team with nine tackles (eight), one tackle for loss and his third career forced fumble
• Tallied eight tackles (five) and tied his career high with two special teams tackles vs. New England (10/10)
• Recorded eight tackles (seven), two passes defensed and two interceptions (tied for a career high) at Tennessee (11/21)
• Finished third on the team with five tackles (three) vs. Seattle (12/12)
• Recorded seven tackles, tied for his second-highest total of the season vs. the L.A. Chargers (12/26)
• Totaled seven tackles (five), one interception, two passes defensed and one special teams tackle at San Francisco (1/2/22)

2020 (L.A. Chargers 6/3; Tennessee 9/5, 1/0):

• Played six games (three starts) for the Chargers before being traded to the Titans prior to Week 9
• Totaled 54 tackles (39 solo), 2.0 sacks, two passes defensed, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a fumble recovery with both the Chargers and Titans
• Notched his first sack of the season for the Chargers vs. Jacksonville (10/25)
• Logged 1.0 sack at Houston (1/3/21)

2019 (L.A. Chargers 15/8):

• Appeared in 15 games (eight starts) and notched 50 total tackles (39 solo), 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, two passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. Also returned 21 punts for 118 yards (5.6 avg.) with one touchdown and 16 kickoffs for 331 yards (20.7 avg.)
• Posted four total tackles (three) and a career-high 2.5 sacks with one forced fumble at Miami (9/29)
• Returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown vs. Denver (10/6), becoming the eighth player in Chargers history with multiple touchdowns on punt returns in their career

2018 (L.A. Chargers 16/8, 2/2):

• Earned AP First Team All-Pro honors as a defensive back and Second Team honors as a punt returner
• Saw action in all 16 games (eight starts) and posted 61 total tackles (46 solo), three interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 10 passes defensed, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble
• Recorded 23 punt returns for 318 yards (13.8 avg.) with one touchdown and 22 kickoff returns for 522 yards (23.7 avg.)
• Intercepted QB Baker Mayfield twice at Cleveland (10/14) and added three passes defensed in the contest
• Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week after intercepting QB Russell Wilson and returning it 42 yards for the second pick-six of his career at Seattle (11/4)
• Earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors when he returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown at Pittsburgh (12/2). Also logged a season-high 10 total tackles (nine solo) and contributed two passes defensed in the game
• Totaled five tackles (three), one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery at Kansas City (12/13)
• Amassed six total tackles (four), one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and a forced fumble at Denver (12/30)
• Recorded 1.0 sack, one special teams tackle and a 72-yard kickoff return in the Wild Card Round game at Baltimore (1/6/19)

2017 (L.A. Chargers 16/4):

• Played in 16 games (four starts) and posted 71 total tackles (61 solo), 4.0 sacks, one interception returned for a touchdown, six tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and five passes defensed. Also contributed 17 kickoff returns for 353 yards (20.8 avg.)
• Logged 1.0 sack in consecutive games in Weeks 8 and 10
• Notched his first career interception when he picked off Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown at Dallas (11/23)
• Tallied six tackles, 1.0 sack, three quarterback hits and two tackles for loss vs. Cleveland (12/3)
• Made his fourth career start vs. Washington (12/10) and logged a season-high 10 total tackles (seven), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit, one tackle for loss and one pass defensed

COLLEGE:

• Played four seasons (2013-16) at the University of Iowa in Iowa City
• Was the only Big Ten player in a 20-year stretch with at least 12 interceptions and 1,500 combined return yards
• Finished his career as one-of-two players in Hawkeyes history with three career interceptions returned for touchdowns
• Named an AP Second Team All-America selection in his senior season (2016) after starting all 13 games and notching three interceptions and seven pass breakups
• Earned the Jim Thorpe Award given to the nation's best defensive back in 2015 as a junior when he recorded 72 total tackles (46 solo), a school record eight interceptions, including a pick-six, and 21 pass breakups
• Garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten honors by league media after starting all 13 games and notching 64 total tackles (42 solo), three interceptions with one returned for a touchdown and five pass breakups as a sophomore (2014)
• Saw action in all 13 games (12 starts) and posted 69 total tackles (44 solo), eight pass breakups and two recovered fumbles in his true freshman season (2013)

PERSONAL:

• Attended East English Village Preparatory Academy in Detroit
• Established a Michigan high school record with 29 career interceptions and set a school record for career rushing yards
• Rushed for 2,360 yards and scored 33 touchdowns as a senior
• Was a four-year letterman in track, competing in sprint events and relays
• Founded the King Kares Foundation in 2017, which provides financial support to underprivileged families in the Detroit area