Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams, who was mistakenly reported dead following a construction accident, is now on the road to recovery.
Williams, known for his stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills, has been taken off life support, according to a report by WIVB4 in Buffalo via the New York Post.
The confusion surrounding Williams’ condition began when Spectrum News in Buffalo initially reported his death.
It took nearly a day for the Tampa Bay Times to clarify that while the construction accident had indeed occurred, Williams had not passed away.
In a recent update, Tierney Lyle, the mother of Williams’ 8-year-old daughter, revealed that the 36-year-old former NFL player was responsive and had been removed from life support on Thursday.
She shared that Williams even smiled when a friend played one of his highlight videos for him.
Despite the positive development, Williams still faces an uphill battle in his recovery, and Lyle has called for continued prayers and support.
Williams’ health took a serious turn when he was hospitalized on September 1, following a workplace accident in which a steel beam fell on his head at a construction site in Hillsborough County, Florida, on August 21.
The incident, initially not considered fatal, led to complications when the laceration became infected, resulting in Williams being placed on a ventilator and eventually induced into a coma.
Williams, a Buffalo native who attended Syracuse University, had a promising NFL career that began when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
His impressive rookie season saw him lead the Buccaneers in receiving yards with 964, along with 11 touchdowns.
Although Williams continued to excel in the 2012 season with 996 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns, he was later traded to his hometown team, the Buffalo Bills, in exchange for a sixth-round pick, where he spent one season.
Williams’ 20 touchdowns at Syracuse University tie him for the second-most in school history, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.