WILLIAMS SAYS HE FAILED THIRD DRUG TEST

RB Would Have Faced Four-game Suspension If He Returned To Dolphins

MIAMI (AP) - Retired Dolphins running back Ricky Williams said he failed a
third drug test for marijuana use, which would cost him a four-game
suspension if he decides to return to the NFL, the Miami Herald reported on
its Web site Thursday.

Williams told the newspaper that marijuana played a larger role in his
retirement than he indicated when he walked away after five pro seasons. He
said he learned of the failed test and possible suspension days before
telling coach Dave Wannstedt last week that he was through playing.

Williams said, however, that there were "a hundred reasons" for his
surprising decision to retire, and his desire to continue smoking marijuana
was only one of them.

"I didn't quit football because I failed a drug test," he told the Herald.
"I failed a drug test because I was ready to quit football."

Williams said he's not addicted to marijuana.

Wannstedt said the Dolphins have received no notification from the NFL
regarding a third failed drug test, and Williams' latest revelation caught
them by surprise.

"We knew nothing about it," Wannstedt said. "I'm totally surprised and
shocked again."

Wannstedt said he's eager to move beyond the Williams situation and open
training camp Saturday.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined comment when reached by The Associated
Press.

In May, three South Florida newspapers quoted unidentified sources saying
Williams tested positive for marijuana and faced a fine of at least
$650,000 for violating the substance-abuse policy for the second time since
joining the Dolphins in 2002.

He told the Herald for Thursday's story that he already decided to quit
football before that second positive test. He appealed that fine but
received word last week that his appeal had been denied, the Herald reported.

While the appeal was pending, Williams said, he continued smoking marijuana
during a trip to Europe and failed a third test upon his return.

He said he had been using a masking agent to cleanse his system while being
randomly tested for two seasons but didn't do that before the last test.

Williams first failed a drug test soon after arriving in Miami in 2002, the
Herald reported. He spent much of his two seasons with the Dolphins in the
league's drug program, seeing a therapist weekly and taking eight to 10
random urine tests a month, the story said.

Williams suffers from social-anxiety disorder and was a spokesman for the
anti-depressant Paxil. He said marijuana helped him once he had to stop
using Paxil because it didn't agree with his diet.

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Texas played three seasons for New
Orleans and considered retirement while with the Saints, coach Jim Haslett
said.

"In 2001, Ricky came in my office and told me he was going to retire and
play baseball," Haslett said. "I don't know if we talked him out of it. We
told him he wasn't a very good baseball player - maybe that did it."

Williams didn't blossom until he was dealt to the Dolphins in 2002 for two
first-round draft picks.

At times, Miami's biggest trade since 1970 looked like a steal. Williams
led the NFL in 2002 with 1,853 yards rushing and broke nine team records.
Last season he ran for 1,372 yards despite little offensive support.