Ahkello Witherspoon

NFL CAREER

• Has appeared in 91 career regular season games (63 starts) and tallied 234 tackles (198 solo), 12 interceptions for 129 return yards, 40 pass breakups, 59 passes defended, one defensive touchdown, two hurries, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two pressures, and six tackles for loss.
• Has played in seven postseason contests (five starts) and recorded five tackles (three solo).
• Has recorded 8 passes defended in his last five regular season games and at least one in five consecutive games dating back to last season. Since Week 15 of the 2024 season, his 8 passes defended lead the entire NFL.
• Recorded a sack, tackle for loss and forced fumble in the Divisional Round against the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
• Finished the 2024 season recording at least one pass defended in four consecutive games, tied for the sixth-longest streak in the NFL last season. It was also the most he recorded in a four-game stretch in his career.
• Finished the 2023 season ranked first in the NFL in incompletions against as the primary defender (56).
• Had a career-high 11 pass breakups in 2023.
• After Week 4 of the 2023 season, according to Pro Football Reference, he allowed the second-lowest passer rating in coverage among all cornerbacks (33.3).
• Tallied a career-best three interceptions in 2021 with the Steelers.
• Registered two interceptions with a total of 45 return yards in a game against the Vikings in 2021.
• Hauled in an interception against the Buccaneers that was returned 25 yards for a touchdown in 2019.
• Had two streaks of three consecutive games with a pass breakup (Week 15-17) during his time with the 49ers in 2020. and in 2021 with the Steelers (Week 12-14).
• Recorded his first career interception his rookie season at Philadelphia in 2017.

NFL CAREER

• Has appeared in 91 career regular season games (63 starts) and tallied 234 tackles (198 solo), 12 interceptions for 129 return yards, 40 pass breakups, 59 passes defended, one defensive touchdown, two hurries, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, two pressures, and six tackles for loss.
• Has played in seven postseason contests (five starts) and recorded five tackles (three solo).
• Has recorded 8 passes defended in his last five regular season games and at least one in five consecutive games dating back to last season. Since Week 15 of the 2024 season, his 8 passes defended lead the entire NFL.
• Recorded a sack, tackle for loss and forced fumble in the Divisional Round against the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
• Finished the 2024 season recording at least one pass defended in four consecutive games, tied for the sixth-longest streak in the NFL last season. It was also the most he recorded in a four-game stretch in his career.
• Finished the 2023 season ranked first in the NFL in incompletions against as the primary defender (56).
• Had a career-high 11 pass breakups in 2023.
• After Week 4 of the 2023 season, according to Pro Football Reference, he allowed the second-lowest passer rating in coverage among all cornerbacks (33.3).
• Tallied a career-best three interceptions in 2021 with the Steelers.
• Registered two interceptions with a total of 45 return yards in a game against the Vikings in 2021.
• Hauled in an interception against the Buccaneers that was returned 25 yards for a touchdown in 2019.
• Had two streaks of three consecutive games with a pass breakup (Week 15-17) during his time with the 49ers in 2020. and in 2021 with the Steelers (Week 12-14).
• Recorded his first career interception his rookie season at Philadelphia in 2017.

COLLEGE

• Played at the University of Colorado, where he finished tied for 13th on the program's all-time pass breakup list (28).
• During his time in Boulder, played in 28 games (21 starts) and notched 58 tackles (52 solo), two interceptions, 12 passes defended and one forced fumble.
• Earned Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press and the league's coaches after he led the nation in pass breakups (23) and tied for the most in CU single-season history in 2016. Played in all 14 games (12 starts) his senior season.
• As a junior in 2015, played in all 13 games (eight starts) and appeared in 10 contests (one start) as a sophomore in 2014.
• He also played one season at Sacramento City College and tied for third in the Mid-Empire Conference with three interceptions in eight games.

PERSONAL

• Played just one season of high school football, starting at cornerback his senior year at Christian Brothers. Finished with 25 tackles (14 solo) with four pass breakups and an interception.
• Despite his short prep career, had over a dozen colleges interested in him.
• Also lettered twice in basketball as a point guard, averaging 16 points per game and seven assists as a senior.
• Also spent time on the baseball diamond and had a .300 batting average to go along with 21 stolen bases as a senior.
• Played soccer as a freshman.
• Witherspoon's father, Lucky, was a tailback at Nevada-Reno and his cousin, Mike Brown, played basketball at the University of Rhode Island. His grandfather, Jimmy Witherspoon, was a blue artist who is best known for his song "Aint Nobody's Business", which reached no.1 on the R&B charts in 1949.
• Majored in EBIO (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology).