Former Dolphins safety Jarvis Williams dead at 45

Former Miami Dolphins safety Jarvis Williams was found dead this morning of an apparent heart attack at the age of 45.

Williams spent most of his football career in Florida, playing first in college for the Gators from 1984 to 1987. He was named a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection in 1986 and a first-team All-American selection in 1987. Williams was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 1988 draft and played safety from 1988-1993. He went on to play a single season for the New York Giants in 1994.

Williams was inducted as a “Gator Great” into the University of Florida’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001, and has a son, Jarvis Williams, Jr., who plays fullback at Jacksonville University. The Miami Herald posted a comment from Miami Dolphins vice president and senior advisor Nat Moore about the player’s early passing:

“I’m sorry to learn of the loss of Jarvis Williams, who was not only a personal friend but a tremendous football player for both the Dolphins and the Gators. He dedicated his life to coaching and helping young people and it’s a real tragedy for him to pass away at such an early age.”

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