Sam Shields

Samuel George Shields III (born December 8, 1987) is an American football cornerback/kick returner for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at the University of Miami.

Early years
A native of Sarasota, Florida, Shields attended Booker High School, where he played wide receiver. During his senior year, Shields had 67 receptions for 1,201 yards and 22 touchdowns. Of those 67 receptions, 44 of them went for either firstdowns or touchdowns. His performance helped his team make it to the Class 3A Championship game. Shields was ranked the 17th best receiver coming out of highschool by Rivals.com. He received scholarships from the University of Miami, Louisville, LSU, and Pittsburgh.

College career
Shields ultimately decided to play at Miami where he started in seven games out of 13 and played during the others during his freshman year in 2006. Shields had 37 receptions, which was the most by a Miami true freshman since Reggie Wayne in 1997. During his first start against Louisville, he caught three passes for 63 yards including a reception for 49 yards. His first touchdown pass came on a trick play when he caught a 37 yard pass from safety Lovon Ponder versus the North Carolina Tarheels. Shields also had the only two touchdown game of his career against Duke University. Miami was given a bowl bid to the MPC Computers Bowl against Nevada. In the bowl, Shields had four receptions for 101 yards and caught a 78-yard touchdown pass to win the game. His performance earned him a spot as an honorable mention All-American on the freshman team by Sporting News. He was also named a selection to the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Football Team.

During his sophomore season, Shields started five of the ten games that he participated in. On September 20, 2007 in a game against the Texas A&M Aggies, Shields had a career high 117 yards coming off six receptions. Shields stated to win the game that his team had to trust each other, come out, play hard, and win." He finished the season with 27 receptions for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

Shields saw an increase in playing time and played in all 13 games during his junior year either as a receiver or on special teams. He had a season high three catches for 32 yards against the Virginia Cavaliers. Shields was also voted Miami's special teams players of the year.

During his final season with the Hurricanes, Shields switched positions from wide receiver to cornerback. During a game against Georgia Tech, he had six tackles. Continuing on in a game between Wake Forest, Shields posted a career high seven tackles as well as a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He received the Nich Chickillo most improved player award at Miami's award banquet.

Green Bay Packers
Shields was projected to be a seventh round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft but went undrafted after being arrested for possession of marijuana and signed with the Green Bay Packers for a minimum contract and a $7,500 bonus.

In his rookie year in the NFL, Shields played the nickel back position serving as the third cornerback behind veterans Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Shields played in 14 of 16 regular season games, missing two with a calf injury early on. In the regular season, he had 27 tackles (22 solo), with two interceptions and nine defensed passes. During the opening game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles, Shields and teammate Morgan Burnett became the first rookie defensive back tandem to start for the Packers since the AFL and NFL merged. The first interception of his entire career came against the Dallas Cowboys. He had one more that season against the New York Giants. During the playoffs, Shields added an additional 13 tackles (eight solo) with two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a sack. In the 2011 NFC Championship game, Shields intercepted Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie in the final minute to send the Packers to Super Bowl XLV. Shields recorded two interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble in the game, the only rookie in NFL history to do so in a playoff game and only the fifth NFL player to do so since 1982 when the NFL began tracking sacks as an official statistic.

Shields had 2 tackles in the Packers victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Shields suffered a shoulder injury late in the second quarter and saw limited play time in the second half.

Shields started 3 games at cornerback in the 2011 regular season and contributed in 15 games overall, intercepting 4 passes and making 45 tackles along with 1 forced fumble.

During the Week 3 Green Bay Packers at the Seattle Seahawks game during the 2012 NFL season, Shields was shoved down during a play by Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate at the end of regulation play that resulted in a simultaneously catch by Tate and Packers safety M. D. Jennings as ruled by officials and which gave the Seahawks their second victory of the season. The NFL would later release an official statement that acknowledged pass interference should have been called on Tate, but supported the decision to uphold the play.