Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams confirmed out for season with torn ACL

The Los Angeles Chargers had their worst fears confirmed on Monday. Wide receiver Mike Williams underwent an MRI on his knee, which confirmed that he suffered a season-ending ACL tear on Sunday in his team’s win over the Minnesota Vikings, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

The injury occurred during the fourth quarter after Williams’ knee was twisted on a tackle from Vikings defensive lineman Harrison Phillips. Williams had to be helped off the field and went directly into the blue medical tent before being taken to the locker room.

The wideout hauled in seven receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown before exiting the game on Sunday. On the year, he has 19 catches for 249 yards and the one touchdown.

Williams facing long recovery process

The 28-year-old has dealt with injuries going back to his time at Clemson, when he fractured a bone in his neck in 2015. He then played in just 10 games during his rookie season and missed four games this past season. Williams entered Sunday having hauled in 302 receptions for 4,685 yards and 30 touchdowns over the course of his career.

The former Tiger was a first-round draft pick for the Chargers in the 2017 NFL Draft. They selected him No. 7 overall after he had a 1,361-yard senior season at Clemson. His most productive season of his NFL season so far came in 2021 when he posted 76 catches for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns.

During the 2022 offseason, Williams signed a major three-year extension with the Chargers worth $60 million, securing him as one of the best weapons Justin Herbert has.

Without Williams, the Chargers defeated the Vikings, 28-24, to secure their first victory of the 2023 season. Los Angeles fended off one final attempt from Minnesota’s offense in the closing seconds, with linebacker Kenneth Murray picking off quarterback Kirk Cousins in the end zone.

On3’s Nick Kosko contributed to this report.