I’ve heard it before. Ricky Williams is a washed up junkie who will never again achieve success in the NFL.  Well, I’m here to tell you there’s a good chance you could be wrong!

Everyone familiar with the NFL is familiar with the statistic that is a deciding factor of the true age of a running back. Your average fan would probably guess that a NFL running backs age would be the most important factor. I would agree, but one must also make a correlation between the age and the number of carries a running back has had in his career.  Evidence that Ricky Williams career is on the upswing again.

After taking a few years off due to drug violations, Ricky Williams body hasn’t been this healthy since Mike Ditka traded the Saints draft for him back in 1999. No running back in the history of game has ever had more carries over a two year period than Ricky Williams. A hard-nosed up the gut running back, who was virtually his team’s only true offensive weapon, took many hits during this period of time.

After finding ways to divert his addiction to marijuana into a more positive light, he has taken up yoga and studied massage therapy and other osteopathic techniques. He recently renegotiated his own contracts and signed a contract extension last year that will prolong his stay in Miami.

The NFL can finally toss aside his nickname of “Sticky Ricky” and appreciate what this hard-nosed running back brings to the game, Hustle.

Bill Hustle