LeShaun V. Sims (born September 18, 1993) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football for the Southern Utah Thunderbirds and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft. Sims also played for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sims was born in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 18, 1993, to Levell and Vonda Sims. He attended Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, where he earned second-team all-state honors as a wide receiver and defensive back. As a senior, Sims tallied 52 tackles and a team-leading six interceptions on defense. On offense, he produced more than 400 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns while rushing for 170 yards and another score.
Prior to Sims, no prior student-athlete from Andre Agassi Prep had ever earned an athletic scholarship. When he was a high school freshman, the Stars played eight-man football in the public charter schoolâÂÂs first year with a football team. They moved to 11-man football during his sophomore year, and by his senior season, the team won a league title.
Sims played college football at Southern Utah University. In four seasons at Southern Utah, he appeared in 47 total games with 46 starts, including starts in every game during his final three seasons. Sims' career totals included 220 tackles, eight interceptions, 27 pass deflections, a forced fumble, five fumble recoveries, and four tackles for loss.
Sims graduated in April 2016 with a degree in exercise science.
Sims was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round (157th overall) in the 2016 NFL draft. On May 9, 2016, he signed a four-year contract with the Titans.
Sims made his NFL debut in Week 4 against the Houston Texans and finished the 27âÂÂ20 road loss with one tackle. During a Week 8 36âÂÂ22 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football, Sims recorded a tackle and a fumble recovery. Two weeks later against the Green Bay Packers, he had two tackles and a fumble recovery in the 47âÂÂ25 victory.
During Week 12 against the Chicago Bears, Sims recorded a season-high five tackles in the 27âÂÂ21 road victory. Following a Week 13 bye, the Titans returned home to face the Denver Broncos. In that game, he tied his season-high of five tackles and also had two pass deflections during the 13âÂÂ10 victory. The following week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sims recorded a pass deflection and his first NFL interception in the narrow 19âÂÂ17 road victory. Pro Football Focus rated Sims the highest game grade of that game.
Sims finished his rookie year with 22 tackles, three pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and an interception in 13 games and two starts.
Sims entered the 2017 season as one of the starting cornerbacks for the Titans as the team's third cornerback behind rookie Adoree' Jackson and offseason acquisition Logan Ryan.
During Week 2 against the Jaguars, Sims recorded three tackles, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble in the 37âÂÂ16 road victory. In the next game against the Seattle Seahawks, he had a tackle and a pass deflection during the 33âÂÂ27 victory. The following week against the Texans, Sims recorded a season-high five tackles during the 57âÂÂ14 road loss.
During a Week 11 40âÂÂ17 road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, Sims had two tackles and a pass deflection. Two weeks later against the Texans, he recorded two tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception. His interception came late in the fourth quarter and sealed the 24âÂÂ13 victory for the Titans. During Week 15 against the San Francisco 49ers, Sims tied his season-high of five tackles in the narrow 25âÂÂ23 road loss. On December 22, 2017, Sims was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in practice two days prior.
Sims finished his second professional season with a then career-high 36 tackles, three pass deflections, a forced fumble, and an interception in 13 games and five starts.
Sims was demoted to a backup role after the Titans signed Malcolm Butler. Despite this, Sims recorded 22 tackles and played in all 16 games for the first time in his career and started in two of them after Logan Ryan suffered a season-ending leg injury during a Week 15 17âÂÂ0 shutout road victory over the New York Giants.
For the first half of the season, Sims' role was similar to that of the previous season, yet he recorded a fumble recovery during a Week 5 14âÂÂ7 loss to the Buffalo Bills and four tackles and a pass deflection three weeks later in a 27âÂÂ23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
During a Week 9 30âÂÂ20 road loss to the Carolina Panthers, starting cornerback Malcolm Butler suffered a season-ending wrist injury, putting Sims in line to be a starter. Sims made his first start of the season the following week against the Chiefs and finished the 35âÂÂ32 victory with a career-high 12 tackles. Following a Week 11 bye, the Titans faced the Jaguars. In that game, Sims recorded six tackles before leaving the eventual 42âÂÂ20 victory with an ankle injury, causing him to miss the next two games. The Titans signed Tramaine Brock to fill in for Sims prior to the Week 14 matchup against the Oakland Raiders, and Sims returned to a backup role after he recovered.
Sims returned from his injury in time for the Week 15 matchup against the Texans and finished the 24âÂÂ21 loss with four tackles and also returned a punt for 11 yards. In the next game against the New Orleans Saints, Sims had six tackles and a pass deflection during the 38âÂÂ28 loss.
Sims finished the 2019 season with 35 tackles, two pass deflections, and a fumble recovery in 14 games and two starts. The Titans finished the season with a 9âÂÂ7 record and qualified for the playoffs as the #6-seed. In the against the Baltimore Ravens, Sims recorded two tackles during the 28âÂÂ12 road victory. During the against the Chiefs, he once again had two tackles in the 35âÂÂ24 road loss.
On March 31, 2020, Sims signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
During a Week 3 23âÂÂ23 tie against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sims made his Bengals debut and recorded two tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception. In the next game against the Jaguars, he had a season-high eight tackles and a pass deflection during the 33âÂÂ25 victory. The following week against the Ravens, Sims recorded two tackles and a pass deflection in the 27âÂÂ3 road loss.
During Week 8 against his former team, the Tennessee Titans, Sims recorded six tackles in the 31âÂÂ20 victory. During a Week 13 19âÂÂ7 road loss to the Miami Dolphins, he tied his season-high of eight tackles. In the regular-season finale against the Ravens, Sims had four tackles and a pass deflection during the 38âÂÂ3 loss.
Sims finished the 2020 season with a career-high 52 tackles, four pass deflections, and an interception in 13 games and 10 starts.
Sims is a movie buff who lists Training Day among his all-time favorites. Sims was commonly referred to as "Swis" in college because the name on the back of his jersey was upside down for his first college game. The nickname stuck.