Ricky Williams’ Surprise Announcement: Former NFL Star Unveils Bold New Venture—Fans Can’t Believe What’s Next

Nostalgia around Ricky Williams is unexpectedly shaping today’s NFL rumor mill. A CBS Sports report, echoed by Fox News, says one AFC executive believes any team angling for Joe Burrow should brace for a “Ricky Williams-type” blockbuster, a reference to the 1999 draft deal in which the New Orleans Saints surrendered an entire slate of picks to land the Heisman-winning running back. The comparison has reignited interest in Williams’ headline-grabbing career arc: college superstardom at Texas, a record-smashing rookie contract, sudden retirement, a pioneering embrace of cannabis wellness and a redemptive second act with the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens. Search traffic for “Ricky Williams trade,” “Ricky Williams picks,” and “Ricky Williams cannabis” has spiked this week as fans revisit the once-controversial deal that still ranks among the most lopsided gambles in draft history. Why the Williams yardstick still matters 1. Scarcity of elite backs then vs. franchise quarterbacks now: In 1999 Mike Ditka paid a premium because Williams was billed as a generational runner. In 2026, the premium is for a generational passer. The rhetorical parallel underscores how NFL front offices still benchmark cost with the league’s boldest trades. 2. Contract security: Williams entered on a rookie deal that famously contained unreachable incentives; Burrow holds a $275 million extension with a no-trade clause through 2029, inflating his value and leverage. 3. Brand power: Williams leveraged controversy into entrepreneurship, co-founding the cannabis wellness line “Highsman.” Teams courting Burrow must weigh off-field marketing upside just as Ditka banked on Williams’ star appeal. Legacy reboot Williams, 48, has stayed culturally relevant by lobbying for federal cannabis reform and launching mental-health seminars for current athletes. His podcast “Worlds Within” routinely lands on Apple’s Top 100 sports shows, and his Highsman brand projects double-digit sales growth in 2026, according to industry tracker Headset. Social media clips of Williams advising young players to “own your narrative” are circulating amid the Burrow chatter, underlining how his once-criticized lifestyle choices are now mainstream talking points. What executives learned from 1999 • Diversify assets: The Saints’ all-in move left the roster talent-starved, leading to a 3-13 season and Ditka’s firing. Modern GMs cite the trade as a cautionary tale when weighing multiple first-rounders. • Value retention: Washington flipped New Orleans’ haul into Champ Bailey and LaVar Arrington, proof that volume can trump star power. That fuels Cincinnati’s reported stance that “two firsts are just the opening bid” for Burrow. • PR calculus: Ditka’s cigar-smoking wedding photo with Williams was meme-level fodder before social media existed. Today, optics move betting lines; any Burrow sweepstakes will unfold in real time on X and TikTok. The bottom line Ricky Williams hasn’t taken an NFL snap in more than a decade, yet his name is trending because the league still measures risk, reward and spectacle against the trade that defined an era. Whether or not Burrow is ever moved, the revived spotlight cements Williams as a timeless reference point—proof that one dramatic transaction can echo through football economics for generations.