What happened to NFL star and cannabis activist Ricky Williams?

NFL fans are used to hearing about once in a generation prospects at running back, such as Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson. In the late 1990’s, Ricky Williams was touted as the backfield player who could do it all. He had a roller coaster ride of an NFL career, experiencing highs(pun intended) and lows, as he navigated stardom with the aid of marijuana. Statistics were sourced from Football Reference.

Born Errick Lynne Williams, the future NFL running back grew up in San Diego with two sisters. Later in life, it came out that Ricky didn’t care much for his father, and felt like the man of the house at a young age, according to ESPN. He would often be the one to make sure his sisters got to school on time, and helped his mother out with chores.

Some might be surprised to learn that Williams was a gifted baseball player, and looked up to former San Diego Padres superstar Tony Gwynn. He was so good at baseball that he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1995, which gave Williams a decision to make moving forward. We know what he ended up choosing, but it’s fun to think of the alternate reality.

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Simply put, Williams ran over, around and through defenders while he played for the University of Texas. He’s one of the greatest backs who have ever played in college football, as Bleacher Report suggested. He scored an astonishing 52 rushing touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1998 for his exploits.

To say the least, NFL teams were enthralled with Williams’ potential at the next level. The New Orleans Saints traded away their entire 1999 stash of draft picks to select Williams with the 5^th overall pick. Ditka was convinced that Williams could become the next Walter Payton, whom the former had coached during his days with the Chicago Bears.

It wasn’t Williams fault that he was glorified by how much New Orleans sacrificed to acquire him, but that move set expectations sky high. Ultimately, the Saints didn’t enjoy much success under Ditka or with Williams, although that can’t be attributed to the running back’s performance. He had two seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards in the Big Easy.

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Before the 2002 season, the Saints dealt Williams to the Miami Dolphins, who were hoping that a change of scenery could benefit the former Heisman Trophy winner. The Dolphins put the ball in his hands early and often in 2002 and 2003, as he led the league in carries each of those two seasons. Williams was literally carrying Miami’s offense on his back.

Privately, Williams was looking for ways to deal with the physical and emotional toll NFL life. He turned to marijuana to help ease the pain on both fronts, but failed three league-administered drug tests leading up to the 2004 season as per CBS Sports.

Rather than serve the suspension, Williams abruptly retired, shocking fans who had watched him dominate.

Williams’ reprieve from football allowed him to pursue a meaningful and personal journey. He lived in a tent in Australia for the better part of a year, where he dove into nutritional texts and holistic medicine remedies. While the public largely viewed Williams as a flame-out, he was happy to be away from the rigid structure of football life according to the Spokesman-Review.

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Williams came back to play for Miami in 2005 after serving a four game suspension. However, he failed another drug test upon his return, which cost him the entirety of the 2006 campaign. Williams would only suit up for one game in 2007, which went poorly for the 1-15 Dolphins. He was going to have a choice to make if he wanted to remain in the NFL.

The Dolphins were prepared for life after Williams, having drafted Ronnie Brown with the second pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. However, the team found a way to cleverly use both players simultaneously in 2008, thanks to the “Wildcat Offense.”

Brown would often take the snap, and have the option of handing it to Williams streaking across the formation. This extended Williams’ career.

It’s remarkable that Williams played all 16 games in his final four NFL seasons considering what had taken place a few years earlier. However, it was clear that he was destined for different things in life. Since he retired, Ricky launched “Highsman”, a company that looks to weave sports and cannabis together according to its website.

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The United States and the world as a whole has come a long way with regards to the acceptance of cannabis in the last 20 years. The NFL is no exception, as the league now only tests for weed in training camp before the preseason begins. It’s fascinating to wonder what type of achievements Williams could have added to his resume had he come into the league today.

On a podcast appearance with Dan Dakich in December 2023, Williams said that he wished that he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. This was due to the hype that ensued after the New Orleans Saints moved heaven and Earth to draft Williams, which he felt created an atmosphere of resentment between him and his Saints teammates.