GONE TOO SOON

Ex-NFL Star on Life Support After Construction Accident: Report

Mike Williams was drafted in 2010 and played four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before decamping for his hometown of Buffalo in 2014.

Former NFL receiver Mike Williams is on life support following a tragic construction accident last week, according to the mother of his daughter, who spoke with the Tampa Bay Times Wednesday. She was forced to correct a report from Spectrum News 1 Buffalo, which claimed that Williams had died from his injuries Tuesday night. Tierney Lyle spoke with the Times after seeing Williams in the hospital, telling the newspaper that he was mostly non-responsive. “He was asleep when we went in there and he woke up when he heard our voices and his daughter’s voice,” Lyle said. “And he looked around, and he blinked and he was crying but he can’t move.” She added that she believes the plan is to remove him from life support at some point but says that decision has not yet been made. Williams was drafted in 2010 after a standout career at Syracuse University, and played four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before decamping for his hometown of Buffalo in 2014, playing for the Bills for one season.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that Mike Williams is still alive.