Ricky Rides into the Sunset

Long time NFL (@NFL) running back Rick Williams retired yesterday as a member of the Baltimore Ravens where he backed up Ray Rice. Williams, a Heisman trophy winner with Texas, had one of the more interesting career paths of any recent NFL player. He started with the New Orleans Saints out of college, then after a few seasons of mixed success was traded to the Miami Dolphins. He made the pro bowl as a member of the Dolphins and had most of his career success with them. He also was suspended for violating the league's substance abuse policy after testing positive several times for marijuana, (his career up in smoke) and announced his early retirement from football. He used this time to study holistic medicine and according to him, find himself. After this he spent the 2006 season playing for the Toronto Argonauts (@TorontoArgos) of the CFL (@CFL). This was seen as a somewhat controversial move up here as it made the CFL look almost like a vacation spot for those in trouble with the NFL, though I'm sure the league didn't mind the attention. However the CFL now has a rule in place prohibiting such transfers, dubbed the "Ricky Williams Rule'. Ricky returned to the NFL and the Dolphins for several more seasons after this and eventually wound up with Baltimore where he finished his career. Many, like PTI'S (@pti) Mike Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) suggest that Williams never seemed to love the game as much as his coaches perhaps would have like. If you've ever seen an interview with Williams he seems like a very laid back guy, (or perhaps it was just the reefer?) but nonetheless he never came across as a typical football guy. He was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and depression which perhaps accounted for much of this. He pursued his own interests outside the game and was content to do so. He walked away from the game under his own terms and came back the same way. He rushed for over 10000 career yards and it's been suggested that had he truly focused his talents he may have had a Hall of Fame career, but again this never seemed to interest him. He may go down as an enigma, no one really knowing what makes him tick but he was certainly one of the more intriguing people in the game, if only because he, unlike many others, saw it as simply that.