Mike Williams, a former wide receiver in the NFL, reportedly passed away on Tuesday at the age of 36. Williams was hurt in an accident while working at a construction site, according to Spectrum News in Buffalo.
Williams, a native of Buffalo who attended Syracuse University, topped the team in receiving yards as a true freshman in 2006 with 461. The following year, he was named to the Big East all-star team, but due to an academic suspension, he missed the 2008 campaign.
He caught 49 passes for 746 yards and seven touchdowns in seven games in 2009, however he left the team due to a potential punishment after he broke team rules following a car accident.
He was nevertheless chosen by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, and he made a good impression right away.
With 964 receiving yards and 65 receptions in his debut season, he finished one reception short of tying for the team lead. He led the squad in scoring with 11 goals, and thanks to his outstanding season, he was named the second-best offensive rookie of the year, trailing only Sam Bradford.
Once a promising player
Before the 2013 season, the Bucs signed him to a contract for close to $40 million, but he only participated in six games before being moved to the Buffalo Bills, who he later played for for one season.
He was slated to miss the first six games of the 2015 season due to a suspension, instead he spent the entire year as a free agent. In 2016, he was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.
Williams and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison are tied for second place in Syracuse history with 20 touchdowns each. He had a total of 223 receptions for 3,089 yards and 26 touchdowns during his professional career.