Former NFL Player Mike Williams Died From Bacterial Sepsis

He died from a rare form of sepsis that was related to dental health problems based on a medical examiner’s report.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams died earlier this year after being in a coma following a workplace accident in September. He died on Sept. 12. He died from a rare form of sepsis that was related to dental health problems based on a medical examiner’s report, The Associated Press reported.

The 36-year-old former NFL player was involved in a construction accident where he suffered severe head and spinal cord injuries as well as paralysis in his arm and lower body when a steel beam accidentally fell on his head at a construction site. Williams never regained consciousness.

His death was labeled natural by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner. The report states that the cause of Williams’ death was bacterial sepsis traced to a dental infection and “retained tooth roots.” This is a preliminary report with a full autopsy slated to be released later. That report will also include toxicology and other information, officials stated. The report also reveals that cardiovascular disease was a contributing factor in his death.

WFLA previously reported that Williams’ mother, Mary Rosenthal, said that her son never wanted to live through a ventilator.

“He said, if this ever happens to me, to pull my plug because I don’t want to live like that,” Rosenthal said. “Those are his wishes. When he was a football player, he had already signed the papers.”

The former NFL star played high school football at Riverside Institute of Technology. After graduating, he attended and played three seasons as a wide receiver for Syracuse University, where he had some impressive numbers for the school, finishing ninth in career receptions (133), eighth in receiving yards (2,044) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (20), before entering the NFL Draft in 2010. A fourth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams played with the Bucs for four seasons before he was traded to his hometown team, the Buffalo Bills. He played in six games that season and caught 22 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

Williams played 63 games in his NFL career, starting in 52, while recording 223 catches for 3,089 yards and 26 touchdowns.