If there’s such a thing as the “Andrew Bynum of the NFL,” Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams would have to be close to earning the title.
Williams caught a franchise-record 11 touchdowns in his rookie season in 2010 and was signed to a six-year, $40.25 million contract extension before last season that included $15 million guaranteed. He missed most of last season with a hamstring injury, and now we’re learning about some of the off-field issues he’s had.
According to a lengthy report from the Tampa Bay Times, Williams is in legal and financial trouble over his mistreatment of a home he was renting in a gated community. Williams turned the home into a massive party spot, much to the anger of his neighbors.
Two weeks ago it was reported that Williams was due in court for Dec. charges of criminal mischief and trespassing. The latest report says the charges were related to Williams being evicted from the home he rented for nearly two years.
According to The Times, Williams set the tone for his party home by throwing a massive rager a few weeks after moving in in late 2012. The first party took place two days before the Bucs lost to the Dallas Cowboys on the road. The pattern of partying continued throughout his time there.
Among some of the gems from the report:
– There were five 911 calls to the home from June-September
– A neighbor says Williams had a stripper pole in the living room that was visible when the front door was open
– Stretch limos pulled up at 4:00 a.m. to drop people off for parties
– The parties were so big cars parked on the grass and mattresses were left on the lawn
Doesn’t sound too dissimilar from what Bynum’s neighbors complained about, right?
Keep in mind that Williams was living in a gated community called the “Sanctuary.”
Williams reportedly paid the home owner $50,000 in a settlement to repair damages to the home or items missing altogether. He did not vacate the home after his lease expired in August and only signed an agreement after being faced with threats of eviction. The agreement called for him to surrender his security deposit of $3,600, extend his lease for one month at $6,000 and pay $43,000 in damages and attorneys fees.
The home owner filed a suit against Williams in Dec. after the wide receiver failed to pay those amounts, but it looks like things have been resolved since.
Williams was called the “absolute worst neighbor” one could imagine by someone who said they despised the wide receiver. New Bucs coach Lovie Smith also came down hard on Williams in comments to The Times that indicated the receiver is not living up to expected standards off the field.
Williams will probably be kept by the Bucs next season because of how much money he is owed, but he does not seem like he’s going to last there long.
Williams was drafted in the fourth round by the Bucs in 2010 and dropped because of all the problems he had in college. He was dismissed by Syracuse in 2008 for academic issues, then quit in 2009 when he was faced with a possible suspension. He also had a DUI arrest in his rookie season.
