Mike Williams, a former American football wide receiver died on September 5, 2023, from the injuries he sustained while working at a construction site. Prior to his death, Mike played collegiate football at Syracuse and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills.
Mike Williams was born in 1987 and Lived for 36
Mike was originally born as Michael Anthony Williams on May 18, 1987, in Buffalo, New York, U.S. He attended Riverside Institute of Technology and it was there that he honed his football skills.
As a senior, he had 970 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on offense 35 tackles, and two interceptions on defense. He moved to play professionally with Tampa BayBuccaneers in 2013 and later also played for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs respectively.
His accident at a construction site resulted in a number of health issues, which ultimately caused his demise
In his later years, Williams worked in the construction industry and suffered a lot after a steel beam landed on his head rupturing his spinal cord and causing swelling in his brain. In addition, Williams’ right arm and lower body from the waist down were completely paralyzed. When he arrived at the intensive care unit, medical professionals also discovered that his lungs were flooded with water and this made it difficult for him to breathe. Even after removing the water from his lungs, Mike never gained consciousness until he passed on September 5, 2023, aged 36.
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Mike Williams’ Career Profile
Williams recorded 24 receptions for a team-high 461 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games as a true freshman at Syracuse in 2006. Also, he was named to the second team of the All-Big East in 2007 as a sophomore. With 60 receptions for 837 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games, he tied the school record for the most receptions in a season.
Mike’s participation in the 2008 season was halted in June for academic concerns. He made the decision to leave the club in 2009 because he was concerned about being suspended for breaking team rules after getting into a car accident with teammates Antwon Bailey, Andre Tiller, and Torrey Ball.
He went pro in 2010.
Williams signed a four-year deal on June 4, 2010, after being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
He played in his first NFL game on September 12, 2010, against the Cleveland Browns, recording 5 receptions for 30 yards and a score. The American Football player became the first Buccaneer rookie to score a touchdown in back-to-back games since Carnell Williams in 2005 during his debut professional season. Williams’ 105 yards on four receptions and a touchdown on October 31, 2010, at Arizona, became his first 100-yard receiving game of his career.
Also, Mike had 65 receptions for 964 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season, starting all 16 games. His 11 touchdown receptions set a new Buccaneers franchise standard for the most in a single season. Following a successful rookie campaign, Williams placed second in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and made it to the NFL Pepsi Rookie of the Year finals. He also earned spots on the PFW/PFWA and The Sporting News NFL All-Rookie Teams. In 2010, he topped all rookie receivers in the NFL in terms of yards (964), catches (65), and touchdowns (11).
Meanwhile, the player’s performance fell off in 2011, as his receiving yards and touchdowns decreased. However, he continued to be a valuable starter, catching 68 catches for 771 yards. He has 996 receiving yards left in the season, which was a career-high for him in 2012.
Moving on, Williams’ new six-year, $40.25 million deal with the Buccaneers was said to have been finalized in 2013, keeping him in Tampa Bay through the 2018 campaign.
He was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2014
Just one season after agreeing to an extension with the Buccaneers, Williams was dealt to his hometown team, the Buffalo Bills, on April 4, 2014, in exchange for a 6th-round selection pick. Williams reportedly asked the Bills for a trade on October 13, 2014. On December 8, 2014, Williams was added to the waived/injured list. He was placed on the Bills injured reserve list the following day when his waiver request went unclaimed. Williams healed from his calf injury on December 22, 2014, and the Bills dismissed him.
Williams joined the Kansas City Chiefs on April 25, 2016, and the Chiefs released him on August 25, 2016. Altogether, the player had 223 receptions for 3089 yards and 26 TDs during his NFL career.
