A Dual Athlete
Before making his mark in the NFL, Ricky, whose legal name is now Errick Miron, played several seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies while juggling his time with the Texas Longhorns football team.
Key Takeaway
Ricky Williams, former NFL star, believes he had the potential to be an All-Star baseball player if he had pursued a career in the sport. Although he ultimately chose football due to the intensity of baseball’s long season, Ricky’s accomplishments on the football field solidified his place in sports history.
Selected in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB Amateur Draft, Ricky played as an outfielder for the rookie league and Single-A teams for four years. There are even photographs capturing one of his early games.
Potential in Baseball
When asked if he ever wondered how things would have turned out if he had focused on baseball, Ricky expressed confidence in his abilities and believed he had what it took to compete at the highest level.
“I wouldn’t say I was amazing, but I had a lot of potential,” Ricky told us. “I love getting better. If I had dedicated myself to baseball full-time, I could have been an All-Star.”
Choosing Football
So what led Ricky to pursue football instead of baseball? He had a fairly understandable reason for his decision.
“It’s a fantasy, but the reality is that 162 games… that’s just too much for me.
“Football is intense, but you have a good offseason. That’s more my pace.”
A Stellar Career in Football
Ricky went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 1998 and accumulated over 10,000 rushing yards in his career. His achievements on the gridiron solidified his place as one of the greatest running backs of his era.
Ricky, who is an advocate for marijuana and has his own lifestyle brand called “Highsman,” also shared his thoughts on the current state of running backs in the league and his aspirations as an NFL legend.
