Baltimore Ravens to sign Ricky Williams

[Auggie]

ESPN.com news services / 8-8-2011

Running back Ricky Williams has agreed to a contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens announced the deal on Monday, pending Williams passing a physical Tuesday.

Williams agreed a two-year deal worth $2.5 million with some escalators that could make the contract worth $4 million total, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. In Baltimore he will back up starting running back Ray Rice.

SNIP

Williams had been with the Dolphins since 2002, longer than any other player on the roster. His longevity is a surprise considering he retired for a season in 2004 and played in only one NFL game in 2006-07, when he served a suspension for violating the league's drug program.

LINK: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6844377/ricky-williams-joins-baltimore-ravens-backfield

On edit: Comment removed

[JonLP24]

1. From the

Run Ricky Run documentary it seems to me there wasn't any one reason he retired but it all adds up to he needing the time to find himself. What you said was the impression at the time. Regardless, RW is one player I would like to smoke a blunt with.

[Auggie]

2. Found this:

An interview, in which Williams explains... "For me, the kind of person that I am -- I'm a more introverted person, but I'm also very passionate about what I feel and what I believe -- and being in the box that I put myself in as well as the box that the NFL is, I wasn't able to express myself the way I needed to, so it's expressed as social anxiety disorder."

LINK: http://www.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Lefko/2006/05/29/1603669-sun.html

Williams reportedly told ESPN that ‘marijuana is 10 times better for me than Paxil (an antidepressant),’” according to an article by a Canadian cannabis enthusiast -- his marijuana was medically prescribed.

LINK: http://www.4evergreengroup.com/2011/04/forbes-cannabis-helps-athletes/

Citing the documentary you mentioned, plus the above links, I can see where his statements were taken out of context. I've deleted my previous comment.

[demguy72340]

4. interesting

[bluedigger]

3. Good for Ricky!

I hope he gets his 10,000. His biggest detriment has been in disappointing fans. He's still had a good career and been pretty entertaining at times.

[Auggie]

5. If only he didn't sign with the Ravens...

I hate that team

[trumad]

6. As a lifelong Phin fan pretty much intune with other lifelong Phin fans...

Ricky did not disappoint us.

Oh sure...when he quit Wannstedt there was some disappointment.... but once the dust settled, we fully understood why he quit.

750 carries in two seasons under Wanny almost killed him.

Wannstedt is simply the worst NFL coach ever.

[RockaFowler]

7. I loved Ricky

I thought hewas great for the team at the time. And yes Wannstedt was the worst coach on any level ever!!