Late Tuesday night, the football world lost a beloved former player.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams reportedly passed away following an accident on a construction site. He was just 36 years old.
In the wake of his passing, thousands have remembered him with posts on social media. After taking a few hours to digest the heartbreaking news, Syracuse football issued a statement about his passing as well.
“We’re saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former Syracuse student-athlete Mike Williams,” the school said in a statement. “We extend our deepest sympathies to Mike’s family, friends and everyone in the Syracuse football family who knew Mike.”
Williams burst onto the scene as a freshman at Syracuse and was a standout wide receiver for the team before heading off to the NFL.
He hauled in 964 yards and 11 touchdowns on 65 receptions as a rookie. He nearly cracked 1,000 yards in his third season in the league with 63 receptions for 996 yards and nine touchdowns.
Our thoughts are with the Williams family.