Shaka Heyward

Heyward has played in 18 games for Cincinnati over the past two seasons, after spending his entire 2023 rookie campaign and the first half of '24 on the team's practice squad ... Has eight defensive tackles and 14 special teams tackles, with a career-high 12 ST stops in 2025 ... Joined the Bengals as a college free agent in the 2023 offseason, following five-year career ('18-22) at Duke University ... Played in 51 total games at Duke, totaling 340 tackles with 32.5 TFLs, and was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection ... Has an extensive football background in his family, including cousins Cameron and Connor Heyward, who both play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Heyward has played in 18 games for Cincinnati over the past two seasons, after spending his entire 2023 rookie campaign and the first half of '24 on the team's practice squad ... Has eight defensive tackles and 14 special teams tackles, with a career-high 12 ST stops in 2025 ... Joined the Bengals as a college free agent in the 2023 offseason, following five-year career ('18-22) at Duke University ... Played in 51 total games at Duke, totaling 340 tackles with 32.5 TFLs, and was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection ... Has an extensive football background in his family, including cousins Cameron and Connor Heyward, who both play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Career transactions: Signed with Cincinnati as college free agent on 5-12-23 ... Waived by Bengals on 8-29-23 ... Signed to Bengals practice squad on 8-30-23 ... Signed to Bengals roster on 1-8-24 (Reserve/Future) ... Waived by Bengals on 8-27-24 ... Signed to Bengals practice squad on 8-28-24 ... Signed to Bengals roster on 12-2-24 ... Signed contract extension with Bengals on 1-5-26.

Pro career:

2023—Spent entire rookie season on Cincinnati's practice squad ... Played in all three preseason games, recording eight tackles.

2024—Played in six games ... Spent 11 games on practice squad (Games 1-10, 12), then signed to active roster ahead of Game 13 ... Totaled four defensive tackles and two special teams tackles ... Also had a forced fumble on special teams ... Made NFL debut as practice squad elevation on Nov. 17 at L.A. Chargers and lined up for 24 ST snaps (no stats) ... On Jan. 4 at Pittsburgh, logged season-high three tackles defensively, and forced a fumble on Steelers punt return in second quarter that was recovered by LB Akeem Davis-Gaither at Pittsburgh 33-yard line.

2025—Played 12 games ... Spent five games on Reserve/Injured (fibula) ... Recorded four defensive tackles and 12 special teams stops (sixth-most on team) ... Had career-high four ST tackles Sept. 29 at Denver ... Tied career high with three defensive tackles Dec. 21 at Miami; added two ST stops.

College: Spent five seasons (2018-22) at Duke ... Played in 51 games (41 starts), recording 340 tackles, 32.5 TFLs, 11 sacks, four INTs, 11 PDs and five FRs ... Named third-team All-ACC in 2021 and '22 seasons ... Voted a team captain in 2022 and ranked second on team in tackles (94) ... Led team and ranked fifth in ACC with 98 tackles in 2021 ... Posted career-high 3.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2019.

High school/personal: Hometown is Dacula, Ga. (northeast of Atlanta) ... Attended Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Ga., where as a senior in 2017 he had two defensive TDs (one FR, one INT), and posted 90 tackles with five sacks ... Late cousin, Craig Heyward, played collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh and spent 11 seasons in the NFL as a FB with five teams ... Cousins, Cameron and Connor Heyward, both currently play for the Pittsburgh Steelers ... 2020 recipient of the Vincent Rey Award, a Duke football honor presented to the team's top linebacker that is named after former Blue Devil and former Bengal Vincent Rey ... Majored in evolutionary anthropology at Duke.

NOTE ABOUT NFL EXPERIENCE: Heyward did not earn an accrued year of experience toward NFL free agency in 2023.

Last Updated July 2026