Former Pittsburgh Steelers broad receiver Mike Williams is retiring from the NFL. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter by way of Williams’ agent Tory Dandy, Williams has opted towards enjoying in 2025 and is hanging up his cleats. Williams had returned to the Los Angeles Chargers, the workforce that drafted him, on a one-year deal after ending the 2024 season with Pittsburgh.
Williams, who turns 31 in October, finishes his eight-year profession with 330 receptions, 5,104 yards, and 32 touchdowns throughout 106 video games. Most of that manufacturing got here with the Chargers, the group’s first-round decide in 2017 out of Clemson. His finest seasons got here in 2019 and 2021, reaching the 1,000-yard annually. In 2019, he led the NFL with 20.4 yards per reception.
After tearing his ACL in 2023, Williams signed a one-year cope with the New York Jets in 2024. However he struggled to get on the identical web page with QB Aaron Rodgers and was unproductive, catching solely 12 passes throughout 9 video games. Pittsburgh traded a 2025 fifth-round decide for Williams forward of final yr’s deadline, lastly buying a receiver after dealing WR Diontae Johnson that March.
Williams made a right away influence with a game-winning landing to beat the Washington Commanders in Week 10.
However that was the spotlight of his transient tenure with the workforce, Williams catching eight regular-season passes the remainder of the way in which. He struggled to search out enjoying time and a task within the Steelers’ offense, a unit that severely faltered down the stretch.
Williams signed a one-year, $6 million deal to return to the Chargers this offseason. Shortly after re-signing, Williams admitted his 2024 season was “horrible.”
“Final yr was horrible for me,” Williams advised reporters in mid-March. “Simply being sincere. It was horrible. In all probability the worst yr I had within the league by far. I’m simply placing up to now. That was the previous, making an attempt to make it really feel prefer it didn’t occur for me. Simply getting again to what I’m used to doing and having enjoyable.”
Following the announcement, Steelers’ broad receivers coach Zach Azzanni shouted Williams out.
“Honored to have been a really small a part of this man’s journey,” he tweeted. “True Professional and nice human!!! Blessed to know him!”
Los Angeles positioned Williams on the Lively/PUP record earlier this week, although it’s unclear if that was associated resulting from damage or Williams considering retirement.
