Given a second chance, Ricky Williams isn't sure what he would do after winning the Heisman.
He's sure of this, though: He wouldn't play professional football.
In an interview aired on NFL Network, Williams said that winning the Heisman created a whole new world of opportunities he could have explored, including finishing his degree or traveling the world.
But deciding not to play professional football would have seemed illogical.
"I decided to play football because that seemed like the next logical choice," Williams says. "But some people are built for the NFL and some people aren't, and I don't think I was a person who was really built for success in the NFL."
Drafted by the Saints in 1999 and traded to the Dolphins in 2002, Williams had an unconventional career in the NFL, and he has been very outspoken about his high-volume marijuana use.
He missed the 2004 season by announcing his retirement. During that time, Williams studied yoga and holistic medicine. But he might have been forced to miss playing time anyway that season because of a positive marijuana test. He returned to Miami for the 2005 season and rushed for 743 yards in 12 games.
But another positive marijuana test forced him to play in 2006 for the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL. He played three more seasons for the Dolphins and rushed for 1,121 yards in 2009 before finishing his career with two years in Baltimore.
Despite all this, Williams put together a long, largely successful career. But many people questioned whether his heart was really in the game, even after he returned from his hiatus.
Williams' comments highlight the pressure that comes with having an identity as a football player -- even if your personal views don't align with those perceptions.
Who knows what might have been for Williams. But don't expect Mike Ditka, who was Saints coach when the team traded all its picks to move up for Williams in the draft, to squeeze out any tears.
