Ricky Williams has openly admitted to smoking marijuana during his NFL career, and he was even suspended for it during the 2006 season. But he never admitted to smoking before NFL games, which is a piece of information one former teammate was more than willing to share.
Williams’ former Miami Dolphins teammate Channing Crowder decided to clear up any questions about Williams’ habits on Wednesday during an interview with WQAM in Miami, explaining that the former 1,000-yard running back would routinely smoke before games, per Pro Football Talk.
“Remember that Buffalo game, the 200-yard game?” Crowder said of Williams’ 228-yard performance against the Bills in 2002. “Smoked the night before. Talk to Ricky. He was doing it, that’s what he did.”
Williams suffered from clinical depression and a social anxiety disorder throughout his NFL career, which often times made him a bit edgy around the media. Crowder seemed to indicate the diagnosis was a reason behind Williams’ habit, which he added didn’t affect the team.
“Ricky has social anxiety and he smoked weed. Ricky’s marijuana didn’t affect the team until he got caught smoking.,” Crowder said. “Him smoking weed, sitting at his house smoking weed, didn’t affect anybody but Ricky. He got high and then he sobered up and then he went to practice the next day.”
Williams finished his career with over 10,000 rushing yards, becoming one of just 27 players to ever achieve the feat. So, if the habit affected him, it certainly didn’t show on the football field.
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Photo via Facebook/Ricky Williams
