Ricky Williams Reportedly Tells Dolphins He Is Retiring

[Walter Cronkite]

Ricky Williams would join legendary running backs Jim Brown and Barry Sanders as early retirees.

Ricky Williams has told the Miami Dolphins that he's retiring after just five years in the NFL, The Miami Herald reported on its Web site Sunday.

Williams said he was overjoyed by his decision.

"You can't understand how free I feel," Williams told the Herald in a cell phone interview Saturday before boarding a plane in Hawaii and heading to Asia to begin several months of travel.

The 27-year-old running back, who started his career with the New Orleans Saints, said he plans to file his retirement papers with the NFL on Monday or Tuesday.

Williams told Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt of his decision Friday and said Wannstedt tried to persuade him to reconsider. Miami opens training camp Friday.

The Dolphins acquired Williams from New Orleans for two first-round draft picks in 2002, and he led the NFL in rushing that year.

Phone messages left early Sunday with two Dolphins officials and Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg, weren't immediately returned.

"I have no comment," Wannstedt told the Herald when asked about Williams' retiring. "Players report Friday. Right now, it's a 10-day dead period. We'll get everybody started on Friday."

Wannstedt acknowledged talking with Williams but declined to give details of their conversation.

Williams said there was no chance he would change his mind.

He said he has already told his mother Sandy, Steinberg, backup running back Travis Minor and friends and family of his decision.

In May, three South Florida newspapers reported that Williams tested positive for marijuana and faced a fine of at least $650,000 for violating the league's substance-abuse policy for a second time since joining the Dolphins.

But his attorney, Gary Ostrow, told The Associated Press: "As far as I'm concerned, there is no violation."

Williams told the Herald his failed marijuana tests had a minor influence on his decision to retire, but was only one of many factors. It didn't cause him to retire, he said, as much as reinforce his reasons for wanting to do so.

Williams' two seasons with the Dolphins have been the best of his career. He set a team record with 1,853 yards rushing in 2002. He followed that with 1,372 yards last season.

Source: AP

[AndySMC]

Yeah the dolphins are pretty much done. Their offense was centered around this nut job. This has got to be the worst off season for any sports franchise ever. The herald artice says that Ricky was drinking some kind of liquid to mask his marijuanna use. It also said that he was not showing up for off season workouts. I think Ricky needs to be back on Paxil. He could have retired before the draft. He could have given some fair warning.

Oh well, now he can smoke all the weed he wants, and not worry about being fined.

[Kellie-Girl]

Look at this way. Ricky would have been unproductive anyway, since his head wasn't in the game, And everybody would have been saying what's wrong with Ricky. The coaches wouldn't have replace him until it was too late in the season. So this will work out just fine for the people in Miami. You couldn't win with him anyway, so what's everybody crying about. You'll fine another back, your team will do just fine. Everybody will write you off and Miami will probably have the best year ever. This is just how football works. Look at the Patriots, they havn't had a running back for years and have won two superbowls in the last three years. If you're really distraught, just pretend he got hurt and is out for the season. Fortunately, football is played with 22 players, not one. Besides, the dolphins biggest problem isn't at running back, It's coaching.

[Sodomy]

I feel bad for those fans that the DOLPHIN ORGANIZATION SUCKED INTO BUYING TICKETS yesterday on the first day of ticket sales full well knowing that their number 1 player was gone and not coming back. ANOTHER TYPICAL SCREW THE WORKING MAN ploy by Wayne Heizenga. As slow as wanny is in any intellectual thought even he could have and did convey this info to the top. Your Teams owner has screwed you Fans again.

[Modern Arts]

Ricky....UP IN SMOKE

Anyone that saw his career at the Univ of Texas really never saw very much. He won the Heisman by shear luck and no national championship. Big games were flops. The Dolphins got exactly what they got a person without the heart of a champion. How he got into Texas is a mystery to me cause Ricky couldnt hold a candle to Earl Cambell not even on his best day ever.

Looks like the Dolphins put all their eggs in one basket again and "Poof". So Ricky's retiring? SO WHAT? The guy has been a flake wherever he's been at. Nobody is arguing that he can't play good football when he's healthy, and feels up to it. The real problem is a mental one. Players come and go in Miami. They won't be going anywhere once again, this year. Forget about Ricky. Forget about a good Q.B.. Forget about Defense IT'S ABOUT TIME WANNSTEDT GOT THE AX. There is the spot that needs the real change.

[Bishops]

Anyone that saw his career at the Univ of Texas really never saw very much. He won the Heisman by shear luck and no national championship. Big games were flops. The Dolphins got exactly what they got a person without the heart of a champion. How he got into Texas is a mystery to me cause Ricky couldnt hold a candle to Earl Cambell not even on his best day ever.

Looks like the Dolphins put all their eggs in one basket again and "Poof". So Ricky's retiring? SO WHAT? The guy has been a flake wherever he's been at. Nobody is arguing that he can't play good football when he's healthy, and feels up to it. The real problem is a mental one. Players come and go in Miami. They won't be going anywhere once again, this year. Forget about Ricky. Forget about a good Q.B.. Forget about Defense IT'S ABOUT TIME WANNSTEDT GOT THE AX. There is the spot that needs the real change.

Regardless of what everybody may say. But Ricky is one of the all time best. An yes it is dissappointing that he is doing this. But c'mon be honest the NFL isnt all it's cooked up to be, from what u see on t.v. I mean their are rules to which is to be reached. I myself play football for my high school Varsity and staying committed is some what hard. They're are days where u feel u've done good. An u might wanna rest. But modern if u were in his shoes how would u look at it?

[Modern Arts]

Regardless of what everybody may say. But Ricky is one of the all time best. An yes it is dissappointing that he is doing this. But c'mon be honest the NFL isnt all it's cooked up to be, from what u see on t.v. I mean their are rules to which is to be reached. I myself play football for my high school Varsity and staying committed is some what hard. They're are days where u feel u've done good. An u might wanna rest. But modern if u were in his shoes how would u look at it?

Isn't what its cooked up to be? The guy was making some fat coin to play in the NFL, gimmie a break.

Timing is everything. Had Williams informed the Dolphins earlier this week of his desire to quit, they could have bid for former Titans halfback Eddie George and topped the $2.2 million the Cowboys will pay him this season. Like Williams, George is a physical running back who fits Miami's style of running. Hell, if Williams told the dolphins before the draft they could have went after some body else.

Once the Titans lost George, they immediately signed Antowain Smith, the best back available and another possibility for the Dolphins, had they known sooner.

[Bishops]

Isn't what its cooked up to be? The guy was making some fat coin to play in the NFL, gimmie a break.

Timing is everything. Had Williams informed the Dolphins earlier this week of his desire to quit, they could have bid for former Titans halfback Eddie George and topped the $2.2 million the Cowboys will pay him this season. Like Williams, George is a physical running back who fits Miami's style of running. Hell, if Williams told the dolphins before the draft they could have went after some body else.

Once the Titans lost George, they immediately signed Antowain Smith, the best back available and another possibility for the Dolphins, had they known sooner.

What I'm getting at is... You have to feel how he feels toward it. Let's say a week ago, he didn't know he was gonig to retire. It was a last minute decision. Now don't tell me u ain't neva done dat before. Cuz as u read he felt uncomfortable bout his recent run in with cops over marijuana. An even though dats not the main reason for retiring, maybe they're is more to it than we know. So I don't blame him at all, even though I'm dissappointed dat he did it. It's nothing to get mad at when people do shit like this everyday. But when it comes to someone famous and it involves money it's everyone's problem. So let the man live his life the way he wants. Cuz obvisiously he wuz looking out for his best interest.

[*Holoman*]

He was an average player on an average team. without him the Dolphins will be lucky to win 5

[Bishops]

I mean yeah. He was a top 5 best running backs in the league. But don't need to blame the guy. An least half of yall can't take hits that he takes through out his life. I know at least someone on this site is a puny little pip-squeek who couldn't take a insect bite without screaming. So put yourself in his shoes an call yourself crazy.

[Bishops]

At least they got Zach Thomas & Junior Seau. They're still a top dog team. An now they got rookies coming in as well. So they might have a average good season or even better.

[Bob Berkowitz]

People are calling ricky selfish. I think that the timing of his decision was selfish. If his heart wasn't into playing then he should of at least hinted to it at the end of the season or before the draft.