Mike Williams removed from life support, breathing on his own

UPDATE (Tuesday): Mike Williams died Tuesday morning at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

DEVELOPING: Former Bucs wide receiver Mike Williams remained in the intensive care unit Saturday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and was breathing on his own after being removed from life support.

Tierney Lyle, the mother of Williams’ 8-year daughter, said doctors took him off a ventilator Thursday at 4 p.m.

As of Saturday morning, Williams was still breathing on his own, but Lyle and Williams’ agent, Hadley Engelhard, said separately that there had been no change in his condition.

Williams, 36, was injured in a construction accident last week in Hillsborough County, Lyle said. He is partially paralyzed and continues to fight for his life.

Lyle said her daughter visited her father again on Friday. When Mya said, “I love you, daddy,” Williams grunted, Lyle said.

A fourth-round pick out of Syracuse in 2010, Williams burst onto the scene with 964 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns. That made him an NFL Pepsi Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist.

He played only four seasons in Tampa Bay before being traded to his hometown Buffalo Bills in 2014. He finished his career spending part of 2016 with the Chiefs in the offseason.

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