HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Sunday the team has signed American defensive back/kick returner Frankie Williams to a contract extension.

Williams was slated to become a free agent on Feb. 11 and was ranked No. 20 on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list.

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The 26-year-old started at defensive back in 16 of his 17 appearances (15 at field corner, one at boundary halfback) for the Tiger-Cats last season, finishing second in the Canadian Football League in pass knock downs with 14, and adding 50 defensive tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

The five-foot-nine, 190-pound native of Tampa, Florida also won the 2019 John Agro Award as the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and was named a CFL All-Star after ranking among league leaders in numerous kick return categories, including first in punt return yardage (949), 30+ yard punt returns (10), average yards per kickoff return (24.9) and kickoff return touchdowns (tie-1), second in punt return touchdowns (tie-1) and overall kick return touchdowns (tie-2), and third in average yards per punt return (12.5) and kickoff return yardage (1,071).

Williams has appeared in 31 career CFL games with 22 starts at defensive back over two seasons with the Tiger-Cats (2018-19), registering 67 defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, one interception and 15 pass knock downs. The Purdue University product has also served as Hamilton’s primary kick returner the last two seasons, accumulating 116 punt returns for 1,332 yards and two touchdowns, 61 kickoff returns for 1,478 yards and one touchdown, and one missed field goal return for 30 yards.