Former Buccaneers Wide Receiver Mike Williams dead at 36: report
Williams scored 26 touchdowns in 63 NFL games
Former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams reportedly died Tuesday at the age of 36.
Spectrum News in Buffalo reports that Williams was working at a construction site when he suffered injuries in an accident.
Williams, a Buffalo native, attended Syracuse University, and as a true freshman in 2006, he led the team with 461 receiving yards. He was an all-Big East selection the following season, but was suspended for the 2008 season for academic reasons.
Wide receiver Mike Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on during a game against the St. Louis Rams at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Oct. 24, 2010. (Michael DeHoog/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)
In seven games in 2009, he caught 49 balls for 746 yards and seven touchdowns but quit the team due to a possible suspension after he violated team rules following a car accident.
Nonetheless, he was still a fourth-round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft, and he impressed quickly.
In his rookie season, he led the team with 964 receiving yards, and his 65 receptions were one shy of tying the team lead. He also scored 11 times, the most on the team, and his impressive campaign was good for a second-place honor for Offensive Rookie of the Year behind St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams is seen during the game against the Detroit Lions at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Dec. 19, 2010. (Getty Images)
The Bucs signed him to an extension worth close to $40 million before the 2013 campaign, but he played in just six games that year and was then traded to his hometown Buffalo Bills, where he spent one season.
In 2015, Williams was supposed to be suspended for the first six games of the season, but he remained a free agent throughout the year.
Williams’ 20 touchdowns at Syracuse are tied for the second-most in school history, along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.
Mike Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with a catch against Thomas DeCoud of the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Dec. 5, 2010. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
In his professional career, he totaled 223 receptions for 3,089 yards and 26 touchdowns.