TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - Officials have released the cause of death of former NFL wide receiver Mike Williams, who died just days after he was removed from life support after sustaining injuries during a workplace accident in August.
Williams, who played college ball at Syracuse before being selected in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL draft, was working on a construction site when he sustained injuries after heavy supplies landed on his head.
While initially believed to be non-life threatening, Williams was hospitalized after his symptoms worsened that week, his mother told Nexstar's WIVB.
Now, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Department says his death was caused by "Bacterial Sepsis with Cerebral Abscesses and Necrotizing Lobar Pneumonia due to multiple Dental Caries and retained tooth roots." They also list Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease as a contributing factor.
A cerebral abscess is a collection of pus the develops in the brain due to infections, according to John Hopkins Medicine. It can cause your brain to swell and restrict blood flow. Bacterial sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency caused by the body's extreme response to infection, according to the CDC. If not treated in time, it can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death.
Williams is survived by his son, Mike Jr., 10, and daughter, Mya, 8. He had been accompanied by family in the hospital, including his mother Mary Rosenthal and brother Eric Baylor.
Over Williams' five seasons in the NFL, the receiver totaled 223 receptions for 3,089 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was initially drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he set a then franchise record with 11 touchdowns by a wide receiver in his rookie year. That record was later broken by Mike Evans. Williams was later traded to his hometown team, the Buffalo Bills, in 2014. He last appeared on an NFL roster with the Chiefs during training camp in 2016.
WIVB's Jonah Bronstein and Nick Veronica contributed to this report.