Former Jets WR of breakfast sandwich fame shockingly retires

Mike Williams’ second stint with the Chargers was supposed to be his opportunity to get back on track. After an uneventful half-year tenure with the New York Jets in 2024, the veteran wide receiver returned to Los Angeles this offseason, hoping to relive his glory days.

Unfortunately, he won’t get that chance.

Williams was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list earlier this week due to a lingering knee issue. Now, just days later, he’s reportedly walking away from the game for good. ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Williams has informed the Chargers that he’s retiring from the NFL at just 30 years old.

It’s a disappointing end to what was once a promising career for one of the league’s most dominant jump-ball receivers. Injuries ultimately derailed his career and seemingly forced him into an early retirement.

Ex-Jets WR Mike Williams retires after just eight NFL seasons

Jets fans will probably remember Williams less for what he did on the field and more for a pair of off-field moments. His tenure in New York began in March 2024 with hope — and a breakfast sandwich.

Williams signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Jets in 2024 free agency after a torn ACL wiped out most of his 2023 season with the Chargers. The move came shortly after notable Jets Twitter fan “NYJ Matt” famously bought him a breakfast sandwich in an attempt to lure him to New York.

The original tweet went viral, and Williams and the Jets would later acknowledge the situation, with the former jokingly insisting that the sandwich helped seal the deal. Unfortunately, that proved to be the highlight of his Jets tenure.

Williams caught just 12 passes for 166 yards in nine games with the Jets before being unceremoniously shipped to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline in exchange for a fifth-round pick (later used on linebacker Francisco Mauigoa).

His time in New York also included the infamous “red line” incident, when Aaron Rodgers publicly criticized the former Clemson star for his inprecise route-running after a game in October.

He wasn’t much more productive in Pittsburgh, hauling in nine catches for 132 yards and one touchdown in nine games with the Steelers. Still, the Chargers took a flier on their former first-round pick this offseason, signing Williams to a one-year, $6 million deal in hopes of bolstering their wide receiver room.

That comeback never materialized. Williams landed on the PUP list ahead of training camp, and now, days later, has announced his retirement.

And thus ends the career of a player Jets fans will remember more for his association with a Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese sandwich than anything he accomplished on the field with the team.

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