Former NFL Star WR Mike Williams, 36, Dead After Construction Accident

Mike Williams’ Early Years

Williams was born on May 18, 1987, in Buffalo, New York. He attended Riverside Institute of Technology, and as a senior, he amassed 970 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns, 35 tackles, and 2 interceptions. He would go on to attend Syracuse University in 2006. As a freshman, Williams had 24 receptions for 461 yards and 4 touchdowns in 10 games and was the team’s leading receiver.

Williams would coral 60 receptions in his sophomore year for 837 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. Unfortunately, he was suspended for the 2008 season for academic reasons. He would eventually leave the team in November 2009. Williams was facing a possible suspension after he and three other teammates were involved in a car crash. Before quitting, he was putting together another solid year. In seven games, he had 49 catches for 746 yards and six touchdowns.

Mike Williams’ Pro Career

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Williams in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was 6’1″ and weighed 221 lbs. He posted a 4.53 40 speed at the combine and would sign a 4-year contract in June of 2010.

In his NFL debut against the Cleveland Browns on September 12, 2010, he had five catches for 30 yards and a touchdown. He was the first Bucs rookie to score a touchdown in back-to-back games since Carnell Williams in 2005. He would go on to finish his rookie season with 65 receptions, 964 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. Williams finished second in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and was named to the Sporting News NFL All-Rookie team and PFW/PFWA All-Rookie teams.

Williams would follow up his stellar rookie year with 68 catches for 771 yards and three touchdowns. But in 2012, he would post a career-high 996 receiving yards. He had 63 receptions and nine touchdowns. After signing a 6-year, $40.25 million contract extension in 2013, Williams’s career regressed. He tallied 22 catches for a meager 216 yards and two touchdowns in 2013, and after several off-field incidents, including being stabbed by his brother, he was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2014.

Williams only played one season in Buffalo, where he had eight receptions for 142 yards and one touchdown. He asked the Bills for a trade and was placed on the waived/injured list in December 2014. He would recover from a calf injury, but would go unclaimed and eventually was released by the Bills. In September 2015, he was suspended for the first six games and would remain a free agent for the remainder of the season. The Chiefs signed him in April 2016 and released him in August 2016.

Williams’s pro career was over, and he rode off into the sunset with around $12 million in career earnings. His off-field issues hindered his ability to blossom in the NFL. His talent was undeniable, and his career was cut short by his poor decision-making off the field.

Remembering Mike Williams

Williams was injured on September 1, 2023, paralyzing his right arm and from the waist down. He was hospitalized after experiencing breathing problems and losing consciousness. He passed on September 5. He was a tremendous talent who brought excitement to the field and will be remembered most for what he did in his first three years in Tampa. His talent was undeniable, and his charisma was contagious. Those who got to see him play are saddened and shell-shocked to lose someone so young. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

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