{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Aiden Williams | image = AidenWilliams.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Williams with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 | current_team = Pittsburgh Steelers | number = 78 | position = Guard | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|8|31|mf=y}} | birth_place = Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6 | weight_lbs = 314 | high_school = Bettye Davis East Anchorage | college = Minnesota Duluth (2019–2024) | undraftedyear = 2025 | pastteams = * Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2025}})* * Carolina Panthers ({{NFL Year|2025}})* * Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|2026}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * 2× Second-team All-NSIC (2022, 2023) | statweek = | statseason = 2025 | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 0 | statlabel2 = Games started | statvalue2 = 0 | pfr = WillAi00 }}
'''Aiden Williams''' (born August 31, 2000) is an American professional football guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UMD Bulldogs.
==Early life== At East Anchorage High School, he started for two seasons in multiple roles, including tight end, defensive end, and long snapper, playing for head coach Jeff Trotter. In 2018, he repeated as a recipient of statewide and regional football honors from the Alaska Football Coaches Association, KTUU-TV, USA Today's Alaska list, and the Cook Inlet Conference. He also played four years on the varsity basketball team, contributing as a center and power forward. A National Honor Society student, he became the first athlete from Alaska to join the Bulldog football team.<ref name="h473">{{cite web | title=Aiden Williams | website=UMD Athletics | url=https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/aiden-williams/7697 | access-date=August 3, 2025}}</ref>
==College career== Williams redshirted in 2019. He did not play in 2020 due to the season being canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he appeared in five games. During the 2022 season, he played in 10 games and contributed to an offense that ranked in the national top 20 in time of possession, rushing offense, passing efficiency, and third down percentage. He was named to the All-NSIC Second Team Offense. In 2023, he again earned All-NSIC Second Team Offense honors and was part of a rushing offense that led the NSIC and ranked seventh nationally, averaging 243.8 yards per game. He started every game through the 2024 season, during which, he received an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl.<ref name="h473" /><ref name="n378">{{cite web | last=Athletics | first=UMD | title=UMD Football's Aiden Williams Invited to 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl | website=UMD Athletics | date=October 30, 2024 | url=https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2024/10/30/umd-footballs-aiden-williams-invited-to-2025-east-west-shrine-bowl.aspx | access-date=August 3, 2025}}</ref>
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 5 3/4 | weight = 315 | dash = 5.17 | ten split = 1.75 | twenty split = 2.97 | shuttle = 4.63 | cone drill = 7.58 | vertical = 30.0 | broad ft = 8 | broad in = 10 | bench = 27 | arm span = 32 3/4 | hand span = 10 | note = All values from Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1104954&DraftYear=2025 |title=Aiden Williams College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=October 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ras.football/ras-information/?PlayerID=28938&ovl=Minnesota-Duluth |title=Aiden Williams RAS |website=RAS.Football |access-date=October 5, 2025}}</ref> }} ===Pittsburgh Steelers=== In the 2025 NFL draft, Williams went undrafted and was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.<ref name="c946">{{cite web | last=Markowski | first=Jack | title=Steelers Sign Minnesota Duluth OL | website=Pittsburgh Steelers On SI | date=April 27, 2025 | url=https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-sign-minnesota-duluth-aiden-williams | access-date=August 3, 2025}}</ref> He was waived on August 25.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steelers make additional roster moves|url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-make-additional-roster-moves-x1485|author=Varley, Teresa|website=Steelers.com|date=August 25, 2025}}</ref> Williams was re-signed to the practice squad on August 28 but waived on September 3.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Chris |title=Steelers Part Ways with Promising Rookie Offensive Lineman |url=https://steelersnow.com/steelers-part-ways-with-promising-rookie-offensive-lineman/ |website=Steeler Now |access-date=4 September 2025}}</ref>
===Carolina Panthers=== On October 1, 2025, Williams signed with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rizzutti |first1=Anthony |title=Panthers announce roster moves involving 9 players on Wednesday |url=https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/panthers/2025/10/01/panthers-roster-moves-week-5/86458798007/ |website=Panthers Wire |access-date=2 October 2025}}</ref> He was released on October 7.
===Pittsburgh Steelers (second stint)=== On January 14, 2026, Williams signed a reserve/futures contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varley |first1=Teresa |title=Steelers sign 13 to Reserve/Future contracts |url=https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-sign-13-to-reserve-future-contracts-x5578 |website=Steelers.com |access-date=15 January 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{sports links}} * [https://www.steelers.com/team/players-roster/aiden-williams/ Pittsburgh Steelers bio] * [https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/aiden-williams/7697 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs bio]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Aiden}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Players of American football from Anchorage, Alaska Category:American football offensive guards Category:Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs football players Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players Category:Carolina Panthers players