In the first seven seasons of his injury-plagued NFL career, Da’Shawn Hand has started 13 regular-season games. In the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Chargers, the defensive tackle appeared in all 13 games.
However, after earning beginning position, Hand is quitting Los Angeles to join the Atlanta Falcons as an NFL free agent on a one-year, $3 million deal.
Hand should have the chance to continue starting with the Falcons after Atlanta lost nose tackle David Onyemata to the New York Jets in free agency this week.
Hand missed four games in 2025 due to a groin injury, the most recent health issue for the former Alabama defensive lineman.
Hand was a fourth-round selection after playing for Alabama’s CFP national-championship squad in 2017. He earned Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie honors for the 2018 NFL season, appearing in 13 of the Detroit Lions’ 16 games.
However, over the following four seasons, Hand played in only 18 of the 66 regular-season games due to injuries.
Hand signed with the Miami Dolphins during training camp in 2023 and began the season on the practice squad. However, he appeared in the final 16 regular-season games, as well as one playoff game.
Hand then played in every game of the 2024 season after rejoining the Dolphins as a free agent. In 2024, Hand set career highs with 31 tackles, five tackles for loss, and four quarterback hits. He also had his fifth sack of his career. That resulted in a one-year, $2. 35 million deal with Los Angeles as a free agent.
Hand was on a 39-game playing streak when a groyne problem forced him to the sidelines for the sixth through ninth weeks of the 2025 season.
Hand had 29 tackles, 1. 5 sacks, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, four passes defended, and his first interception in the NFL in 2025.
