Ricky Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ricky Williams

Williams in 2020
No. 34, 27
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1977-05-21) May 21, 1977 (age 48) San Diego, California, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	226 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:	Patrick Henry (San Diego)
College:	Texas (1995–1998)
NFL Draft:	1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
New Orleans Saints (1999) Miami Dolphins (2002, 2005) Toronto Argonauts (2006) Miami Dolphins (2007) Baltimore Ravens (2011)
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Pro (2002) Pro Bowl (2002) NFL rushing yards leader (2002) Heisman Trophy (1998) Maxwell Award (1998) Walter Camp Award (1998) AP College Football Player of the Year (1998) SN Player of the Year (1998) Chic Harley Award (1998) 2× Doak Walker Award (1997, 1998) 2× Jim Brown Trophy (1997, 1998) 2× Unanimous All-American (1997, 1998) 2× Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998) 3× First-team All-Big 12 (1996–1998) Second-team All-SWC (1995) Cotton Bowl MVP (1999) Texas Longhorns No. 34 retired
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 2,431 Rushing yards: 10,009 Rushing touchdowns: 66 Receptions: 342 Receiving yards: 2,606 Receiving touchdowns: 8
Career CFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 109 Rushing yards: 526 Rushing touchdowns: 2 Receptions: 19 Receiving yards: 127
Player stats at PFR
Player stats at CFL.ca (archive)
College Football Hall of Fame

Ricky Williams (born May 21, 1977) is a former American football player. He was a running back for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He also played one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Williams played baseball and football at Patrick Henry High School. He then played college football for the Texas Longhorns. He was named a unanimous All-American twice. In 1998, he won the famous Heisman Trophy. He set new records for career rushing yards and all-purpose yards in college. While in college, he also played minor league baseball for four seasons. In 2015, he was added to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The New Orleans Saints picked Williams fifth overall in the 1999 NFL draft. He played three seasons with the Saints. In 2002, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins. He played for the Dolphins for two seasons and led the league in rushing in 2002. He later played for the Toronto Argonauts in 2006. Williams rejoined the Dolphins in 2007 and played until 2010. He spent his last season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2011. In 2002, he was named a top player (first-team All-Pro) and chosen for the Pro Bowl.

Early Life and High School Sports

Ricky Williams was born on May 21, 1977, along with his twin sister Cassie. His parents divorced when he was young. Ricky, at age three, helped care for his younger sister Nisey. He is also a second cousin to Major League Baseball player Cecil Fielder.

Ricky was a very smart student and earned good grades in high school. He was named to the San Diego Union-Tribune All-Academic team. By age 12, he had a brown belt in Taekwondo. He started growing dreadlocks when he was 15.

At Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, Williams played baseball and football. He also ran track and did wrestling. He was an all-league player in baseball as a junior. As a senior, he was named all-state.

Williams grew stronger during high school. He played outside linebacker and strong safety, but his main position was running back. In his high school career, he rushed for 4,129 yards and 55 touchdowns. In his senior year, he had 2,099 yards and 25 touchdowns. This earned him the San Diego Union-Tribune 1994 Player of the Year award. He helped his team win their first Eastern League title in 11 years.

Experts rated Williams as the best high school running back in California. Super Prep called him the second-best running back in California.

College Football Career

Ricky Williams went to the University of Texas. He played for the Texas Longhorns football team from 1995 to 1998. The Philadelphia Phillies baseball team, as part of his minor league contract, paid for his college scholarship.

Starting Strong: 1995-1997 Seasons

In his first year (1995), Williams set a school record for rushing yards by a freshman. He rushed for 990 yards and eight touchdowns. He broke Earl Campbell's freshman rushing record. He was named Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year.

In 1996, Williams was considered a top fullback in college football. He led Texas in rushing with 1,272 yards. He had over 100 rushing yards in seven games that season.

For his junior year in 1997, Williams became a running back. He scored five touchdowns in one game against Rice. This set new school and Big 12 Conference records. He also broke the school record for career touchdowns with 43. Williams finished the season with 1,893 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns. He set new school records for rushing yards, carries, and touchdowns in a season. He also had the most all-purpose yards with 2,043. He won the Doak Walker Award and was a unanimous All-American player.

Heisman Trophy Winner: 1998 Season

Williams decided to stay at Texas for his senior year in 1998. He chose not to enter the 1998 NFL draft. In the first game, he broke his own school record with six rushing touchdowns. In the next game, he broke Earl Campbell's career rushing record. He scored six touchdowns again against Rice, gaining 318 yards. He also became Texas's all-time leading scorer.

Against Iowa State, he rushed for 350 yards and five touchdowns. This broke the school record for single-game rushing yards. He also broke the record for career total touchdowns with 67.

On November 27, 1998, Williams broke the NCAA Division I-A career rushing record. He did this with a 60-yard touchdown run against Texas A&M. The game stopped briefly to celebrate this huge achievement. He also broke the Division I-A career all-purpose yards record.

Williams won his second Doak Walker Award. He also won the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, and was named College Football Player of the Year by the Associated Press and Sporting News. He was a unanimous All-America selection for the second year. He won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the second Texas Longhorn to receive this honor.

Williams broke or tied 21 NCAA Division I-A records, 24 Big 12 Conference records, and 46 Texas Longhorns school records. The University of Texas retired his No. 34 jersey in May 1999. A statue of Williams stands at Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. It honors his Heisman Trophy win.

College Statistics Overview

Minor League Baseball Career

The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Williams in 1995 after high school. He signed a contract with a $50,000 bonus. During his college years, he played four seasons in the Phillies' minor league system. He never played above the Single-A level. As an outfielder, Williams played in 170 games. He had a .211 batting average, four home runs, and 46 stolen bases.

He played for the Martinsville Phillies in 1995. In 1996 and 1997, he played with the Piedmont Boll Weevils. In 1998, he played for the Batavia Muckdogs before returning to Texas for his senior football season.

In 1998, the Montreal Expos picked Williams in the Rule 5 draft. They then traded his rights to the Texas Rangers. Williams decided not to join the Rangers' spring training. He wanted to focus on preparing for the NFL draft.

Professional Football Career

Williams attended the NFL Scouting Combine before the draft. He later held a private workout for NFL teams.

New Orleans Saints (1999–2001)

The New Orleans Saints selected Williams as the fifth pick overall in the 1999 NFL draft. Head coach Mike Ditka made a big trade to get Williams. He traded all of the Saints' remaining 1999 draft picks and future picks. This was unusual, as Williams was the only player the Saints drafted that year.

Williams's first contract was for seven years. It included a large signing bonus and many incentives. He later changed agents. Coach Ditka was later fired due to the team's performance.

Williams played three seasons (1999–2001) with the Saints. In his first year, he had 884 rushing yards. In 2000, he rushed for 1,000 yards and scored nine touchdowns in 10 games. He missed some games due to an injury. The Saints finished the 2000 season with a 10–6 record. They won their first-ever playoff game against the St. Louis Rams.

In 2001, Williams had a successful season. He rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. This earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October. Overall, Williams rushed for 1,245 yards, ranking eighth in the NFL. He also caught 60 passes for 511 yards.

Miami Dolphins (First Stint: 2002–2005)

Williams during his first stint with the Dolphins.

On March 8, 2002, Williams was traded to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins gave up four draft picks, including two first-round picks. In 2002, his first season with the Dolphins, he had an amazing year. He had ten games where he rushed for at least 100 yards.

In Week 12, he rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers. He then had 228 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills. In the next game, he rushed for 216 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice. Overall, he led the NFL in rushing with 1,853 yards. He was named a first-team All-Pro and chosen for the Pro Bowl.

In the 2003 season, Williams rushed for 1,372 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 50 passes for 351 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Williams was known for his dreadlocks hairstyle. He later shaved them off during a trip to Australia. He was also known for being shy. He sometimes did interviews with his helmet on and avoided eye contact. Williams was later diagnosed with social anxiety disorder.

Playing in Canada: Toronto Argonauts (2006)

The CFL's Toronto Argonauts signed Williams for the 2006 CFL season. The Dolphins allowed him to play in Canada. He became the highest-paid running back in the CFL. He chose to wear the #27 jersey.

Williams made his CFL debut on June 17, 2006. He rushed for 97 yards in a win against the Tiger-Cats. On July 22, 2006, Williams broke a bone in his left arm. He missed two months of games due to this injury.

In 11 games during the 2006 CFL season, Williams rushed 109 times for 526 yards. He scored two touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 127 yards. Williams enjoyed his time in Toronto. He said he liked the city and the team.

After Williams played in the CFL, a new rule was made. This rule prevents NFL players who are suspended from signing with a CFL team. This rule is sometimes called "The Ricky Williams Rule."

Miami Dolphins (Second Stint: 2007–2010)

Williams at the 2005 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Williams returned to the Dolphins on July 24, 2005. He played in 12 games that season, rushing for 743 yards and six touchdowns. He shared playing time with Ronnie Brown.

In October 2007, Williams was allowed to return to the NFL. He played in a game on November 26, 2007. He rushed for 15 yards before injuring his pectoral muscle. He missed the rest of the season.

Williams came back strong in the 2008 season. He rushed for 659 yards and four touchdowns. He played in all 16 games for the Dolphins. He and Ronnie Brown often ran the "Wildcat formation" together. This helped the Dolphins have a good season.

In 2009, starting running back Ronnie Brown was injured. Williams, at age 32, became the main running back. In Week 11, he rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers. He finished the season with 1,121 rushing yards. He set an NFL record for the longest time between 1,000-yard seasons (six years). He also became one of only seven NFL players aged 32 or older to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

In the 2010 season, Williams carried the ball 159 times for 673 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to split duties with other players.

Baltimore Ravens (2011)

Williams signed a two-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens on August 8, 2011. He scored his first touchdown with the Ravens on October 16. He finished the 2011 season with 444 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. On January 1, 2012, Williams reached 10,000 career rushing yards. He became the 26th player in NFL history to do so. On February 7, 2012, Williams told the Ravens he was retiring from the NFL.

NFL Career Statistics

Life After Football

In 2013, Williams became a running backs coach at the University of Incarnate Word. He worked there for two seasons. In 2015, he went back to Texas to finish his degree in educational psychology. He completed it in 2017. He then worked as an analyst for the Longhorn Network's GameDay show.

Williams has become a wellness expert and business owner. He is a co-founder of Real Wellness Herbal. He is also a licensed astrologer and CEO of LILA Astrology. He is a spokesperson and podcaster.

Personal Life and Interests

Williams is a qualified yoga instructor. He has said that one reason he joined the Canadian Football League was to teach free yoga lessons. He has also used pranic healing to help recover from injuries. In 2009, Williams studied massage therapy and Japanese Shiatsu. In 2018, Williams co-founded an herbal wellness company with his second wife, Linnea Miron.

In May 2022, Williams legally changed his last name to Miron, his wife's last name.

Williams was raised Southern Baptist. His yoga studies have opened his mind to other religions. He believes religions are cultural and includes ideas from Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu philosophies. He is currently studying Traditional Oriental Medicine.

In 2015, Williams signed with a global talent agency. This happened before he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Williams is a vegetarian. He has been a vegan or had a meat-free diet in the past.

In the Media

• Williams appeared as a football analyst on the Longhorn Network.
• He appeared on the cover of ESPN The Magazine with Mike Ditka.
• Williams was on the cover of NCAA Football 2000.
• His image was on the cover of the original NFL Street video game.
• Williams had a small role in the movie Stuck on You.
• He appeared on the reality game show, Pros vs. Joes.
• Williams is the subject of an ESPN Films documentary called "Run Ricky Run."
• He is also the subject of an NFL Network film, Ricky Williams: A Football Life.
• In 2017, Williams was a contestant on The New Celebrity Apprentice.
• In 2018, Williams appeared on Hell's Kitchen as a guest star.
• In 2019, Williams was a houseguest on Celebrity Big Brother. He finished as the runner-up.
• On February 11, 2022, Williams appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher.

Images for kids

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  Miami Dolphins fans showing their feelings about Williams in 2004.

See also

In Spanish: Ricky Williams para niños