Saving Himself From the NFL

The announcement by Ricky Williams, 27 year-old running back for the Miami Dolphins, that he is retiring after just five years in the National Football League took a lot of observers by surprise. It used to be that players only retired early if, like the legendary Gayle Sayers of the 1960s Bears, their careers were cut short by devastating injuries.

But today's players make so much money and work so hard, year-round, on the game, that I suspect they're suffering from burn-out. They don't need to play. And as Skip Bayless writes

Frankly, who can legitimately complain about a young man, already a multi-millionaire, who walks away from a game that leaves even Hall of Fame running backs basically crippled for life? "Selfish," yes, but also brave and smart, because in the long run Williams himself is the only friend he's going to have when the going gets tough. So if Ricky doesn't watch his own back (or hips or knees, as the case may be), no one else will.

 Posted by glenn