Buffalo Bills

Former NFL receiver Mike Williams -- the Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2010 -- has died following a recent accident at a construction site.

According to a GoFundMe page set up by Williams' family, the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout suffered a "massive head injury" a few days ago when a steel beam fell on him ... causing "complete paralysis in his right arm as well as his lower body from the waist down."

Sadly, Williams' family says his condition worsened in the ensuing days ... and Spectrum News 1's Jon Scott reported Monday he passed away.

He was just 36 years old.

News of his death Monday evening rocked the football world ... with his former teammate, Gerald McCoy, tweeting he was devastated to learn of the passing.

"Dang man hurts my heart seeing the news of my former teammate and Buccaneers 2010 draft class brother Mike Williams," McCoy said. "Always great energy, brought joy and laughter to the locker room and a heck of a player!! Prayers and blessings to his family!! 🙏🏾😔"

The Bucs picked Williams with a selection in the fourth round of the '10 NFL Draft ... and he went on to have an outstanding rookie season, finishing only behind Sam Bradford for OROY honors.

He would go on to play for three more seasons in Tampa, before he was traded to the Bills in 2014. He was never able to replicate the production he had as a rookie, however, and he bounced from the league after just one year in Buffalo.

The former Syracuse standout finished his career with 3,089 receiving yards and 26 receiving touchdowns in 63 total games.

RIP.

Damar Hamlin is back on the football field, in a playing capacity, for the first time since his life-threatening cardiac arrest incident earlier this year ... and he's looking like his old self.

The Bills safety hit the gridiron Saturday for Buffalo during a preseason game, in which he appeared for just a little bit of time ... a couple possessions, but in that time he was able to show off his talent and, more importantly, that he's ready for NFL-caliber play again.

From what we could see, there was no hesitancy in Damar's intensity -- and he certainly wasn't shying away from tackles ... something he's expected to do a lot of as a safety.

Like we said ... DH didn't play for long, but it was a huge milestone to see him back in uniform and in a real game, making his months-long comeback complete. Based on his performance this weekend, it's likely he'll be playing regularly this upcoming season.

As for the team itself, they knew how big of a moment this was ... and suggested as much with a clip they posted, showing Damar taking the field/being embraced by his teammates.

It's been a long road to recovery, but it's one Damar has taken in stride. With the help and encouragement of his loved ones, his teammates and, of course, medical professionals ... he's been slowly getting back into playing shape -- and finally got the all-clear, too.

Considering his heart had to be restarted after taking a hit in a game against Cincinnati -- it's kind of a miracle that he's here today, let alone playing the same game at the same level.

Incredibly powerful moment at the ESPYs just now ... when Damar Hamlin presented the Buffalo Bills staffers who saved his life back in January with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

The 25-year-old safety took the stage and was visibly emotional as a video tribute played for the star-studded crowd in attendance ... with Hamlin detailing his commotio cordis incident against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

"I didn't wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day," Hamlin said in the clip, "and I doubt the training staff thought that they would have to do what they did either."

"That, as much as anything else, is what I took away from what happened to me 6 1/2 months ago ... that any of us, at any given time, are capable of doing something as incredible as saving a life, and living a life in service of others."

After the video, the audience gave Hamlin a standing ovation as he welcomed the staffers on stage to accept the award, which is given to sports figures who served others like Tillman, who died while deployed in Afghanistan in 2004.

Hamlin shared a hug with several staffers for a bit before head trainer Nate Breske gave a touching speech.

"Damar, first and foremost, thank you for staying alive, brother," Breske said. "Seriously, we are so honored to be standing up here with such a strong and courageous human being."

Breske also stressed the importance of CPR training -- something Hamlin has campaigned for in the months following the incident.

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld are having trouble keeping their mouths off each other in Mexico -- 'cause even at a lavish dinner earlier this week ... they were seen sucking face the entire time!!!

Just one day after the two put on a PDA show while taking a swim at their fancy Cabo resort ... the new couple was spotted getting in an oceanside meal -- and it, at times, got a little steamy.

In between bites, the two snuck in a bunch of kisses ... and there was even some heavy nuzzling and cuddling going on as well.

The NFL star and the "Starving" crooner have yet to publicly state they're an item ... but based on everything they're doing while on the out-of-the-country vacay, it's pretty clear this is more than just a fling.

The two were initially linked to each other back in May ... when they got a little snuggly at a sushi dinner -- and it seems things have certainly heated up since then.

Rejoice, Bills Mafia ... Josh Allen has been officially named the Madden 24 cover athlete!!!

EA Sports just announced the news ... making Allen the first-ever ever Buffalo Bill to grace the cover of the football video game -- and the quarterback made it clear he was pumped ... showing no concerns whatsoever about a potential curse.

"A childhood dream come true," Allen tweeted ... before adding a praying hands emoji.

The cover art is pretty cool ... on one of the editions, the 27-year-old is featured bowing his head in his Bills gear. On another edition, the signal-caller can be seen partying in the endzone with Buffalo fans.

The game officially drops in August.

Of course, the announcement didn't come without criticism ... many felt Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts or even Justin Jefferson should have nabbed the honor.

In fact, Robert Griffin III said earlier this week he felt Allen's teammate, Damar Hamlin, should have been the one who graced the cover ... not the QB.

But, Madden execs were clearly thrilled with the Allen choice nonetheless -- tweeting, "Welcome to the Fam."

The feat marks yet another awesome moment for Allen this offseason -- you'll recall, he also just recently got into a romantic relationship with Hailee Steinfeld.

Damar Hamlin is officially back ... the Buffalo Bills safety was a full participant at practice with his teammates for the first time since going into cardiac arrest in January.

The Bills hosted OTAs on Tuesday ... and 25-year-old Hamlin got his first taste of real NFL practice action in five months.

There was a bit of a scary moment for Hamlin and the Bills ... he reportedly struggled to get back to his feet after contesting a ball during practice, needing assistance to get up.

Nevertheless, Damar returned to the workout with his teammates and resumed drills after the Bills' athletic trainers determined DH was fine.

Hamlin hit the practice field with the Bills last month ... but the former sixth-round draft pick wasn't wearing pads or a helmet during the workout, easing his way back into competition.

Damar, who won the 2022 NFL George Halas Award for his perseverance following his near-death experience, looked upbeat and energetic throughout the practice.

Forget Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson ... if Robert Griffin III had it his way -- the Madden 24 cover athlete would be none other than Damar Hamlin!!

The former Heisman Trophy winner made his case for the Buffalo Bills defensive back to be picked over Allen, Burrow, Jefferson and all of the rest of the NFL's biggest superstars for the honor in a series of tweets on Monday.

RGIII explained ... the tale of Hamlin surviving cardiac arrest during a game and then coming back to the field to practice with the Bills just a few months later needs to be immortalized on the world's most popular football video game.

"Celebrate a moment that brought us all together for once regardless of what team you cheer for," the former QB said.

"Celebrate [Bills trainer] Denny Kellington and the professionals who saved his life with a briefing detailing all the work they did to save him and get him back on the field. It's important for the youth to know these facts and Madden has their attention."

Last year, John Madden himself graced the cover of the game. In 2021, it was Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady who got the nod.

There appears to be a new woman in Josh Allen's life ... the NFL star grabbed dinner with Hailee Steinfeld over the weekend -- and they sure looked like a couple at the restaurant.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback and the actress hit Sushi By Bou in New York City ... and in a photo they posed for at the dinner table, you can see they were awfully cuddly.

In the pic, Allen's arm is draped over Steinfeld's shoulder ... and his hand is firmly entangled in the "Starving" singer's too.

Neither has confirmed a romantic relationship publicly -- but it's not the first time the two have been seen out together ... just last week, they were spotted walking on NYC streets as well.

27-year-old Allen had been in a long-term relationship with Brittany Williams ... though the two appeared to split right around the time the Bills' season came to an end in the winter.

As for Steinfeld, the 26-year-old previously dated Niall Horan ... but they split in 2018.

Damar Hamlin is continuing to make steps in his road to returning to NFL action -- on Tuesday, the defensive back got in some work at Bills practice ... and he looked GOOD!!!

Just over four months after he went into cardiac arrest on the field during a "Monday Night Football" game ... Hamlin was out at Buffalo's organized team activities -- and while he didn't fully participate in the practice, he still showed off some athleticism at the workout nonetheless.

According to reporters on the scene, Hamlin did some calisthenics with his teammates, got in some agility work ... and even hit some drills with his fellow DBs.

Video from the sidelines shows the guy doesn't appear to have lost a step at all since his Jan. 2 medical episode ... he caught the ball with ease and flashed some big-time burst.

Following the practice, Bills head coach Sean McDermott insisted Hamlin didn't do a whole lot on the field ... telling reporters they're taking things very slowly with the 25-year-old.

"We're taking it one day at a time and just support Damar in every way possible," McDermott said.

For now, there's no public timetable for an official return to practices -- or games, for that matter -- for the Bills safety ... though docs have cleared him to play, and it seems like only a matter of time before he's got a helmet and shoulder pads strapped on.

Damar Hamlin was just handed one of the NFL's highest honors -- the Bills safety has been named the George Halas Award winner for his perseverance after suffering cardiac arrest during a game.

The league made the announcement on Monday ... saying the 25-year-old is the NFLer who overcame the most adversity to succeed in 2023.

Damar experienced commotio cordis after making a tackle during a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals in January ... requiring immediate CPR and being rushed to the hospital.

Despite his medical emergency, Hamlin has been fully cleared to play in the NFL again ... and has been using his story to influence change throughout the country ahead of next season.

In March, Hamlin visited Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where he urged lawmakers to put more AEDs in schools nationwide.

Hamlin -- who started a campaign to spread CPR awareness and training with the American Heart Association -- also met with President Joe Biden during the trip ... with the two sides having a conversation about the cause.

Josh Allen can drop dimes and apparently hit bombs too ... the Buffalo Bills star quarterback swung by Blue Jays batting practice on Monday -- and swatted several dingers!!!

The 26-year-old signal-caller was in Toronto to cheer on the Jays as they get set to begin a series with the Yankees ... and the MLB team allowed him to step in the batter's box for a few hacks -- and he put on a show.

According to reporters on the scene, Allen hit multiple balls over the fences at Rogers Centre ... with some even landing in the stadium's second deck!!

Check out his swing ... the dude can clearly rake.

Of course, we shouldn't be too surprised by this ... 'cause just a couple days ago, he blasted several balls to the moon during a charity softball game.

But, get this ... he said after stepping into the cage on Monday that he wasn't even the most impressive Bill with a bat.

Allen said that honor actually belonged to backup QB Matt Barkley, who he says hit five "deep shots" during the workout.

Prosecutors say former Bills punter Matt Araiza couldn't have participated in a gang rape at a party back in October 2021 because they believe he wasn't even at the home at the time of the alleged incident.

San Diego deputy district attorney Trisha Amador made the claim during a 100-minute meeting with the alleged victim last year, according to court documents obtained by Yahoo Sports.

In the docs -- which Yahoo Sports reported was a 200-page transcript of the sit-down with the girl -- Amador told the teenager that Araiza "wasn't even at the party anymore."

She added when talking about a timeline of the alleged events, according to the report, "All I know is that at that point, suspect Araiza is gone from the party."

Araiza -- a former punter for San Diego State University who was picked by Buffalo in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft -- was initially accused of the sexual misconduct in a lawsuit in August 2022, when a woman identified only as Jane Doe said the NFL player and two other men gang raped her at a Halloween-themed party at Araiza's San Diego home.

Doe, who said in the suit she was 17 years old at the time, alleged she and Araiza had sexual intercourse outside of the home ... before he led her to a room in the house where he and two of his SDSU teammates sexually assaulted her for over an hour.

But, according to Amador and the district attorney’s office, Araiza simply couldn't have participated in the alleged rape ... because their evidence showed he left the party at 12:30 AM -- an hour before the alleged incident occurred.

As we reported, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office initially announced in Dec. 2022 it would not file criminal charges against Araiza, saying, "There is no path to a potential criminal conviction."

22-year-old Araiza, who was cut by the Bills days after the girl's allegations were made public, had adamantly denied the claims from the start. He's remained an NFL free agent.

Damar Hamlin's near-death experience apparently brought him even closer to his Cincinnati buddies ... 'cause the Buffalo Bills safety spent part of his offseason hanging with the Bengals' trio of star receivers -- including Tee Higgins -- less than five months after his on-field collapse.

Of course, Hamlin was already tight with receiver Tyler Boyd ... as the two grew up playing against each other on the youth football field in Pennsylvania.

But, the longtime pals were joined by fellow Bengals route runners Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase when they decided to take a trip to the desert sometime recently ... with the four NFL stars posting up next to some ATVs.

"Hot Boyz," Boyd captioned the shot.

Remember, Damar was attempting to tackle Tee during the Jan. 2 Monday Night Football game before suffering commotio cordis and being rushed to a local hospital.

Higgins and his mother remained at the facility throughout the night ... and were there every step of the way to support Hamlin's family.

Now, five months later, Hamlin is thankfully cleared to return to normal life AND his football career ... and has since used his story to spread awareness for AEDs and CPR training.

A trade for Aaron Rodgers does NOT make the Jets the favorite to win the AFC East ... at least, that's according to Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who tells TMZ Sports he's still got the Bills at the top of the division.

Don't get it twisted, Moon wasn't knocking New York's new signal-caller ... he just clearly believes Buffalo is that much more talented than the Jets still.

"They still have a great roster," Moon said of Buffalo.

The 66-year-old, though, did admit the Rodgers acquisition does certainly bring NY closer to the Bills at the top of what many are expecting to be a highly competitive AFC East in 2023.

But Moon wasn't ready to call the Jets legitimate Super Bowl contenders quite yet ... telling us he thinks the AFC is just too loaded this year.

"It's going to be tough on the Jets to win their division and get in the playoffs and advance," Moon said. "But Aaron Rodgers at least gives them a fighting chance to be able to do that."

Damar Hamlin has the green light to throw on his helmet and shoulder pads once again -- the Bills safety is "fully cleared" to resume his football career just three and a half months after suffering cardiac arrest during a game, Brandon Beane announced Tuesday.

The Buffalo general manager shared the incredible update just minutes ago ... saying Hamlin's team of specialists are "in agreement" that he is able to resume his football career.

In fact, Beane says Hamlin has been working out lately -- just like any other athlete would after going down with an injury.

"He's fully cleared," Beane told reporters. "He's here, and he is of the mindset, he's in a great headspace to come back and make his return."

Hamlin hasn't played since his medical emergency during "Monday Night Football" on Jan. 2 ... and has used his near-death experience to spread awareness for CPR training and AED accessibility.

Back in February, Hamlin announced his intentions to return to the field in an interview with Michael Strahan ... saying, "That's always the goal, like I said, as a competitor, I'm trying to do things to keep advancing my situation."

"Bu, I'm allowing that to be in God's hands. I'm just thankful he gave me a second chance."

Bills coach Sean McDermott also addressed the news ... adding, "Super excited for Damar.  He's moving forward one step at a time. We'll provide all the mental health we can. Just taking it one day at a time."

Stefon Diggs isn't just nice on the football field, he's also a problem on the hardwood -- 'cause the NFL star just flexed some insane skills during a recent hoops sesh ... including an impressive dunk!!

The Buffalo Bills receiver was shootin' buckets at the famous Summit NYC gym with famous NBA skills trainer Chris Brickley on Thursday ... and was captured on video doin' what he calls "lab work."

In a clip of the workout, the 3-time Pro Bowler goes off with a couple of nice step-backs, a reverse layup, and a turnaround fadeaway.

But, what was most impressive ... Diggs also displayed his range and hops by hitting a shot behind the arc and throwing down a massive dunk!

"@stefondiggs gotta be one of the best hoopers in the NFL!," Brickley said in the IG video caption.

Hundreds of fans agreed ... one commenting, "It’s cool seeing the type of hooper he is. Explains his route running style."

Another person said, "Thought it was Bradley Beal at first haha."

Of course, the former 5th-round pick was a baller in high school, along with football and track ... saying on "The Shop" earlier this month that if he were to give up playing in the NFL, he would be in the NBA -- because he's just that nice!

"I can really hoop, though," Diggs said. "Yeah [I hooped in high school], but if I really put this football s*** down and say like, let's dedicate my life to it, I could really do that."

"100% [I can go to the NBA]. I could average at least 10."