Former NFL Wide Receiver Mike Williams Dead at 36 After He Was Taken Off Life Support

Williams was put on life support at a Tampa Bay Hospital after an accident at a construction site left him partially paralyzed

Former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams has died at age 36, his agent confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.

Williams died on Tuesday morning, according to the outlet.

The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit in Tampa Bay, Fla., following an accident at a construction site that left him partially paralyzed.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, who spoke with Tierney Lyle, the mother of Williams' 8-year-old daughter Mya, via text, he was taken off of his ventilator at St. Joseph's Hospital on Thursday.

Williams' agent, Hadley Engelhard said, “He will be missed. He fought hard his whole life. Prayers to his family," per NFL Network's Ian Rappaport.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers mourned the tragic loss in a statement on Tuesday.

“We are saddened by the untimely death of Mike Williams, which has left our organization, his former teammates and fans with heavy hearts,” the statement said. “We send our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones as they mourn this tragedy.”

The former NFL player “recently had a major accident at work” when “a steel beam fell on his head causing a massive head injury," his father Wendell Muhammad said via GoFundMe.

“As a result of this accident, there was swelling on his brain and swelling on his spinal cord that was ruptured,” his father said. “These injuries resulted in complete paralysis in his right arm as well as his lower body from the waist down.”

Last week, Williams' former Tampa Bay teammate Gerald McCoy reacted to the news of William's accident. “Dang man hurts my heart seeing the news of my former teammate and Buccaneers 2010 draft class brother Mike Williams. Always great energy brought joy and laughter to the locker room and a heck of a player!! Prayers and blessings to his family!!”

On Tuesday, McCoy mourned the loss of his former teammate in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. "My dogg always was a fighter. 4th rd pick to rookie of the year finalist, got new contract, and lived out his dream as an NFL player. One thing for sure he loved his family and for sure that baby girl!! Sending love and prayers to my brother and his family!!"

Williams was born in Buffalo, New York and found success as a high school football player at Riverside Institute of Technology. He went on to play at nearby Syracuse before he was drafted to the NFL in 2010 by the Buccaneers.

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The wide receiver played five full seasons in the NFL before retiring in 2016 with the Kansas City Chiefs. He racked up 26 touchdowns and 3,089 receiving yards throughout his career.

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