NFL legend Ricky Williams can’t shy away from the spotlight even after retirement. The 46-year-old Heisman Trophy winner (Texas Longhorns, 1998) recently ignited a conversation that has fans buzzing—his potential as a coach like Deion Sanders.
After a stellar college career, Williams took his talents to the NFL but retired after 2011. The ex-Baltimore Ravens running back often sees his journey—tremendous success, public struggles, and eventual redemption—as a roadmap for inspiring young people. In a throwback interview, he even compared himself to Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime. He also sounded confident and optimistic as he shared more about why he believes he’d be a great coach.
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Can Ricky Williams surpass the “Deion effect?”
In an old episode of the Momentum Podcast, Vanderbilt QB Mo Hasan posed an intriguing question to Ricky Williams. He asked whether he thought he could coach. Ricky responded optimistically, saying, “Hell yeah!” He expressed confidence in his coaching abilities, saying, “If someone gave me an opportunity, I’d coach and… I’d be a really good coach.”
Over a decade back, Ricky started his coaching journey by accepting a position coaching running backs at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Reflecting on his first coaching experience a decade ago, he said, “I worked with those kids, and all they broke records. Really broke records.” He added, “To me, I had good coaches, but the best coach I ever had was me coaching myself.” He also explained using the same “general techniques” to excel on the field for the kids.
When Mo Hasan hypothetically suggested coaching university teams akin to the “Deion effect,” Ricky confidently asserted that his impact would surpass that. “When I say better than Deion or different than Deion, it’s because I’m an astrologer and so when I’m coaching these kids I’m not just looking at what I see with my eyes. I’m looking at something deeper and I’ll be able to access and tap into deeper levels of motivation and skill development and others. Because I have that added level of clarity,” he said. He firmly believes his talent would benefit kids and grown men.
Where’s the ex-Baltimore Ravens RB now?
A star running back for the Texas Longhorns, Ricky Williams took home the 1998 Heisman Trophy and dominated college football. The RB was drafted 5th overall by the New Orleans Saints in 1999. He later landed with the Miami Dolphins and even earned All-Pro honors. His career later led him to the Baltimore Ravens, where he retired. After hanging up his cleats, Ricky started coaching kids as a running back coach. His impact on the football world was further solidified when he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Post-retirement, Ricky explored the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. Thus, he founded Highsman to aid in pain management, injuries, and the stresses of professional sports. Now, the entrepreneur seems to eye a return to coaching, boldly comparing himself to Coach Prime. Ricky’s multifaceted talents have undeniably left a mark on the NFL, but what do you think of his coaching prowess? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Edited by
Shubhankar Adhikari