Ricky Williams applies for reinstatement

[Doomsday101]

NEW YORK (AP) - Ricky Williams, the former NFL star who played in Canada last season after being suspended for a year for substance abuse, has applied for reinstatement.

Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg, said the running back, who will turn 30 in May, had sent a letter asking that he be allowed to return to the Miami Dolphins.
The NFL confirmed that Williams had sought reinstatement, for which he will be eligible after April 27, when he will have been suspended for a year. Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said the team had no comment because Williams is not yet eligible for reinstatement.

Williams, a former Heisman Trophy winner at Texas, was originally drafted by New Orleans when then-coach Mike Ditka gave up all his picks in the 1999 draft to get his rights. He was traded to Miami for two first-round draft picks after the 2001 season and rushed for 1,853 yards for the Dolphins in 2002 and 1,372 the next season.

But he abruptly retired shortly before training camp in 2004, then returned in 2005 to back up rookie Ronnie Brown. Williams rushed for 743 yards and a 4.4 yard average that year.

The suspension, handed down last year by former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, was Williams' fourth.

Williams' previous positive drug tests were for marijuana, which he acknowledged using. The latest test apparently involved a substance other than marijuana and may have been related to his interest in holistic medicine.

Steinberg said Williams has been teaching yoga in California since returning from Canada last December.

"He's told me that his interest in eastern philosophy has overcome his desire for mind-altering substances and has given him another outlet," Steinberg said. "He's in outstanding shape and he hasn't taken a lot of hits for a running back. I think he's still at the top of his game."

During the 2005 season, Williams laughingly described himself as weird and compared his career to a roller coaster. But he also dispelled his reputation as an aloof, selfish pothead, winning praise from teammates and winning the south Florida media's annual postseason Good Guy Award, given to the player most cooperative with reporters.

Williams has gained 7,097 yards in 1,757 carries during his NFL career and rushed for 47 touchdowns.

Last season with Toronto in the CFL, he ran for 526 yards on 109 carries and caught 19 passes for 127 yards. He missed two months because of a broken arm.

 

[Doomsday101]

I can't image an NFL team being overly interested in Williams given his past and how he left the dolphins right before training camp. What a waste of talent.

 

[dbair1967]

maybe he can sign with the team QC's with....just imagine the marketing slogan possibilities

David

 

[superpunk]

Good for Ricky.

Let's bring him in.

 

[Hoov]

I can't image an NFL team being overly interested in Williams given his past and how he left the dolphins right before training camp. What a waste of talent.

yes, but that's all in the past, he's a guru now. think what he could do for team chemistry with some group meditation. :

 

[Doomsday101]

I think Williams is a flake who cannot be counted on. The year he left Miami high and dry he had stood up in front of the team during mini camp and talked about teammates needed to be commented to the upcoming season and then a week before camp he walks? I would not want to put much trust in Williams

 

[AbeBeta]

I can't image an NFL team being overly interested in Williams given his past and how he left the dolphins right before training camp. What a waste of talent.

I don't know, I think that there will likely be a couple of teams who would have interest. Williams is a flake -- he's odd. He's got documented mental problems that make him a poor match for playing team sports. He likes the wacky weed -- something that is highly consistent with the self-medication that many folks suffering from social anxiety disorder engage in.

He isn't is a thug or a bad guy. He's a troubled kid.

If guys with several arrests get shot after shot then I can't imagine why a team wouldn't give Ricky a small money deal.

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't know, I think that there will likely be a couple of teams who would have interest. Williams is a flake -- he's odd. He's got documented mental problems that make him a poor match for playing team sports. He likes the wacky weed -- something that is highly consistent with the self-medication that many folks suffering from social anxiety disorder engage in.

He isn't is a thug or a bad guy. He's a troubled kid.

If guys with several arrests get shot after shot then I can't imagine why a team wouldn't give Ricky a small money deal.

Any team willing to take the risk would be well advised to have some type of protection in case he pulls yet another stunt. I'm sorry so many of these guys get extra chances only to pull some dumb stunt and which makes the team look pretty stupid for even given them another chance. Sooner or later a team learns from mistakes or they continue to make them.

 

[Hoofbite]

Hope he gets denied. He doesn't deserve to be let back in.

 

[AbeBeta]

Sooner or later a team learns from mistakes or they continue to make them.

So teams can learn from mistakes but people don't?

 

[Doomsday101]

So teams can learn from mistakes but people don't?

Not what I said, Williams has been given many chances but always seems to do something that ends up hurting the team he is on. Sorry but I don't have much sympathy for guys who can't get their act together after many different chances. This is the NFL not day care center for problem children so please stop with the bleeding heart. There is no god given right for these men to play in the NFL it is an opportunity of a life time and what they do with that opportunity is up to them.

 

[AbeBeta]

Not what I said, Williams has been given many chances but always seems to do something that ends up hurting the team he is on. Sorry but I don't have much sympathy for guys who can't get their act together after many different chances. This is the NFL not day care center for problem children so please stop with the bleeding heart. There is no god given right for these men to play in the NFL it is an opportunity of a life time and what they do with that opportunity is up to them.

According to league rules, he can be reinstated after this suspension. Has Williams screwed up -- sure. Is he the sort of talent that teams are going to be interested in? Obviously yes. He freaking quit on the Dolphins and they wanted him back the next year. So you can take the hardline stance but that clearly isn't what NFL teams are doing.

 

[Doomsday101]

According to league rules, he can be reinstated after this suspension. Has Williams screwed up -- sure. Is he the sort of talent that teams are going to be interested in? Obviously yes. He freaking quit on the Dolphins and they wanted him back the next year. So you can take the hardline stance but that clearly isn't what NFL teams are doing.

At this stage he has only applied for it but has not been reinstated and right now we don't know what stance NFL teams may or may not take with Williams. Any team that does will do so at a big risk. It is hard to replace players in the middle of the season and Williams has not shown any reason why anyone should trust him.

 

[peplaw06]

I don't see why teams would be interested in a guy like this and not interested in TO.

 

[AbeBeta]

At this stage he has only applied for it but has not been reinstated and right now we don't know what stance NFL teams may or may not take with Williams.

I'd bet his agent has already put feelers out to get a sense of whether there is interest or not. I doubt a team would want him as a #1 RB but if I'm a team like the Bears and I don't have a backup RB then the risk becomes minimal.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'd bet his agent has already put feelers out to get a sense of whether there is interest or not. I doubt a team would want him as a #1 RB but if I'm a team like the Bears and I don't have a backup RB then the risk becomes minimal.

Could be that depends on the NFL, they don't have to reinstate him. The rules says he can apply for it but that does not mean it will be granted.

 

[dogberry]

Does a team have to go through Miami or is Ricky free agent?

 

[firehawk350]

I'd bet his agent has already put feelers out to get a sense of whether there is interest or not. I doubt a team would want him as a #1 RB but if I'm a team like the Bears and I don't have a backup RB then the risk becomes minimal.

Heck yeah, a team like the Browns, who have nothing to lose anyways could probably give him a small-money contract with some incentives. If he turns 1000+ yards and can contribute in a major way, then it's definitely worth it. If he sucks, or tries something, you cut him with zero loss.

 

[Wrangler87]

Ricky Williams seems like a pretty decent guy. He's a little off, and probably has some mental issues, which caused him to retire. You know what thought, he always treats the reporters with respect, never says a bad words about anyone except himself, and he is not a premadonna thugs like some of these guys and isn't always in trouble with the law. Beleive me, there are a lot worse guys playing in the NFL right now.

I would trade a late round pick for Williams in an instant. His salary is peanuts and no one can deny this guy's ability to rack up the yards.

I would not be against trading away Julius to someone, and trading a late pick for Williams to either start to split carries with Barber.

By the way, say what you will, but all other stuff aside, Julius Jones could not hold Ricky Williams' jock as an NFL RB, when they are both on the field.

 

[Doomsday101]

Ricky Williams seems like a pretty decent guy. He's a little off, and probably has some mental issues, which caused him to retire. You know what thought, he always treats the reporters with respect, never says a bad words about anyone except himself, and he is not a premadonna thugs like some of these guys and isn't always in trouble with the law. Beleive me, there are a lot worse guys playing in the NFL right now.

I would trade a late round pick for Williams in an instant. His salary is peanuts and no one can deny this guy's ability to rack up the yards.

I would not be against trading away Julius to someone, and trading a late pick for Williams to either start to split carries with Barber.

By the way, say what you will, but all other stuff aside, Julius Jones could not hold Ricky Williams' jock as an NFL RB, when they are both on the field.

4 failed drug test caused him to leave, CFL has no drug testing so Williams did not have to worry about that.