Bills’ Shaq Thompson’s priceless reaction to becoming ‘Unc’

The Buffalo Bills bolstered their defense in the offseason by signing longtime Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson. After 10 years in Carolina, including playing alongside Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis during the Panthers’ peak years, Thompson joined Buffalo on a one-year deal.

He now shares the linebacker room with Matt Milano, Terrel Bernard, and Dorian Williams, bringing veteran presence to a unit with championship aspirations. Though he’s still recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in 2024, Thompson arrives in Buffalo as one of just eight active players with four consecutive 100-tackle seasons, and the Bills believe his experience can make an immediate impact.

But in his first months as a Bill, it wasn’t his stats or his resume that made headlines: it was his new nickname.

Speaking with Spectrum News reporter Andy Young, teammate Dorian Williams called Thompson ‘Unc’ with a smile, praising the veteran’s leadership and presence in the locker room. ”He’s a brother in our room. We love him. He teaches everything, and he’s there for you as a person,” Williams said.

Thompson couldn’t help but laugh at the tag. ”Takes me back to my younger days,” he admitted, remembering when he was the one calling older teammates ”unc” as a rookie. ”It’s a respectable thing. Putting a lot of respect in the game. That doesn’t go unnoticed.”