If only Ricky Williams could smoke his marijuana in peace.
Williams, who is known as much for his weed advocacy as his football prowess, recently was asked by Bill Simmons on HBO whether he’d be a Hall of Famer if marijuana was legal. The former NFL running back was definitive in declaring he’d be a shoo-in.
“For sure. No doubt about it. For sure,” Williams said. “I think, one, because I look at the amount of stress and things that distracted me from playing football surrounding cannabis.”
Williams tested positive for marijuana before the 2004 season and subsequently decided to retire. He later returned to the gridiron for the 2005 season but missed the entire 2006 season after violating the NFL’s drug policy for the fourth time. He wasn’t reinstated until the middle of the 2007 season.
Williams still had a good NFL career, racking up 10,009 rushing yards, including a league-best 1,853 yards during the 2002 season. Perhaps being able to freely smoke grass — rather than having to try to hide it — would have resulted in an even better career.
Either way, Williams is free to smoke all of the weed he wants nowadays without the risk of being suspended. And it sounds like he’s taking full advantage of that freedom.
Thumbnail photo via YouTube screengrab
