Former NFL Standout Mike Williams on Life Support after Florida Construction Accident

Former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams was reported to be on life support at a Tampa hospital Thursday after a construction accident.

Multiple news outlets reported that Williams, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Buffalo Bills, was working commercial construction near Tampa last week when a heavy steel beam fell and struck him in the head and back. Initial reports said the 36-year-old died Tuesday, but friends and family later said he was on life support and could not speak or move, the Tampa Bay Times and CBS Sports reported.

It was not reported why Williams was working construction after his football career. A native of Buffalo, he was a fourth-round draft pick from Syracuse University in 2010 and was named offensive rookie of the year runner-up. He reportedly signed a $40 million contract with Tampa Bay in 2013.

For permanent total disability, Florida workers’ compensation laws allow two-thirds of a worker’s average weekly wage, up to a maximum of about $1,100, until age 75, according to the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute.

Photo: Williams after a touchdown in 2013. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco, File)

Topics Florida Construction