Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 36 Days with DeAndre Houston-Carson
By Peter Jurich
Chicago Bears add DeAndre Houston-Carson in Round 6 of NFL Draft
At the conclusion of his senior season, Houston-Carson was invited to both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine ahead of entering the 2016 NFL Draft. The Virginia native was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 185th overall pick. The defensive back joins a long list of former William and Mary stars to make it to the NFL, including players such as Darren Sharper, B.W. Webb, Steve Christie, and even coaches Mike Tomlin and Sean McDermott.
In his rookie season, Houston-Carson played on special teams for the first five games of the year, as well as for weeks eight, 13, and 17. In eight appearances, Houston-Carson logged two total tackles but played 110 total snaps on defense, getting on the field about 14 times per game.
After being waived and reclaimed throughout the 2016 season, Houston-Carson's four-year rookie deal was voided, with the team bringing the player back in '17 on a new two-year deal. In the first year under his new contract, Houston-Carson appeared in 11 contests.
From weeks three to 11 and 15 to 17, the William and Mary product totaled sixteen defensive snaps and 174 special teams snaps, finishing the season with 10 tackles and two forced fumbles. Houston-Carson had quickly become an integral part of the team's special teams coverage, a valuable asset for any athlete who is having trouble cracking the starting lineup on either side of the ball.
In the final year of his two-year contract, the safety was able to appear in 13 games for the team. In the first season under new head coach Matt Nagy, Houston-Carson logged 260 special teams snaps, averaging 20 per game. During the offseason, the Bears and Houston-Carson agreed to a one-year extension. Subsequently, the special teams ace logged six total tackles on 336 special teams snaps, upping his average up to 21.
Houston-Carson was given another one-year deal for the 2020 season, where he again made appearances in all 16 games, primarily on special teams. He averaged 23 special teams snaps per game, but the William and Mary product was able to play on defense consistently down the stretch of the team's eventual playoff run. He finished the year with three pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and 15 total touchdowns, as well as the first interception of his career, a game-clinching turnover against Teddy Bridgewater and the Carolina Panthers.