Ricky Williams' Crazy Ride

Ricky Williams, the man for whom Mike Ditka once traded an entire draft, has now taken his game up to the Canadian Football League. Williams came into the NFL after a prestigious college career, which included winning the 1998 Heisman Trophy, for the University of Texas. However, for a player with unlimited talents, his professional career has been nothing short of controversial. First, the highly scrutinized trade that brought him to the Saints was just the start of this bizarre professional career. Never before had a team relinquished all of its draft picks for one player. Williams then hired rapper Master P to broker his first contract, a highly incentive-laden contract that quickly became a joke throughout the NFL. After spending his first three years in New Orleans, where Ricky had what many would consider solid but unspectacular seasons, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins. In Miami, his career finally took off; during his first two full seasons Ricky ran for over 3,200 yards while averaging more the 4 yards per carry.

However, trouble once again found the talented but peculiar star. In what could only be considered a bizarre decision, Ricky decided to end his NFL career. His reasons for retirement varied from a lack of love of football to his displeasure with the NFL’s drug policy. Following a one year hiatus from football, Williams came back to the Dolphins for the 2005 season, but not without serving a four game drug related suspension. His season started off extremely slowly, but by the end of the year he was back in what seemed to be top form. Williams averaged 4.4 yards per carry, which was the second highest total of his career.

Now at the age of 28, Williams has been suspended from the NFL for one full season after failing his fourth drug test. Instead of taking a second season off from football, Ricky has decided to take his talents to the Canadian Football League. Starting this Sunday, he will be wearing the uniform of the Toronto Argonauts. This is the franchise that once captivated the league with the exciting Doug Flutie running the show. How is this new adventure going to turnout? The only guarantee is that, with Ricky involved, it will be interesting.