Former NFL running back Ricky Williams, he of the sudden early retirement and affinity for marijuana smoking, will be the subject of an upcoming episode of the NFL Network's "A Football Life," in which the mercurial ball-carrier offers some rather interesting comments pertaining to his initial retirement from the game, according to a report from Connor Orr of NFL.com
"I led the NFL in attempts the past two years and they really didn't go out and get a quarterback to help me, so I knew it's going to be all on me again," Williams says in the documentary, which premiers Friday.
Williams, at one time the best running back in the entire sport, decided at the peak of his career, after five NFL seasons, less than a week before Miami Dolphins training camp in 2004, to call it quits, according to ESPN.
Williams says in the documentary that the idea of playing with such bad quarterbacks in Miami - at the time, AJ Feeley and Jay Fiedler were the incumbents - left him with no choice but to retire.
"It just became obvious to me that playing football for me is not going to be fun, not something I'm going to enjoy and it's time for me to do something different."
He said at the time that it was because he wanted to travel and was tired of the demands of football.
"I just don't want to be in this business anymore," Williams told the Miami Herald, via ESPN. "I was never strong enough to not play football, but I'm strong enough now. I've considered everything about this. Everyone has thrown every possible scenario at me about why I shouldn't do this, but they're in denial. I'm happy with my decision.
"I'm finally free. I can't remember ever being this happy."
Williams reportedly tested positive for marijuana a number of times and faced hefty fines and possible suspension - he admitted that this played a part in his decision to retire as well.
Williams played for the Dolphins for two years, amassing 3,225 rushing yards, after being drafted fifth overall by the New Orleans Saints and coach Mike Ditka in 1999 in one of the most ludicrous draft trades in NFL history, before retiring.
He would later return to the NFL and the Dolphins in 2007 and spend three more years with the team before joining the Baltimore Ravens for the 2011 season, then retiring for good.
