It’s not secret that I love Ricky Williams. I truly believe that the only reason he won’t be in the Hall of Fame is because he lost his passion for football. Well, Ricky has that fire back. He’s undergone major life changes to get himself back on track. People are noticing too. Bill Parcells must respect his dedication because he offered Ricky an extension in a most unusual way:
Last May 21, on Williams’ birthday, Parcells walked by as Dolphins players stretched on the practice field and handed Williams a birthday present in the form of a folded-up yellow Post-it note.
“Tell me what you think,” is all Parcells said while walking on.
Williams glanced quickly at the note, but it wasn’t until later, after practice, that he unfolded it and weighed its minimalist message: “2010 — $4.35 million.”
“I went, ‘Wow,’” Williams says.
That must be the most casual contract extension in pro sports history. No agent. No meeting. No demand. No negotiation. No announcement. Nothing but one old pro showing an appreciation for another old pro.
Parcells offered Ricky a straight up $1 million raise. The $4.35 million mark is also about twice the amount Ricky was paid for his services the year he led the league in rushing (2002). Oh yeah, Ricky also plans to release a documentary about his life that’s been in the works since 2005. With a budding massage therapy career, a documentary in progress, and a hefty raise, Ricky Williams is off and running.
Tags: bill parcells, football, miami dolphins, NFL, ricky williams
I think Ricky has done more to bring down ridiculous weed stereotypes in the sports media than he will ever get credit for; mostly because he's obviously still good.