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Ricky Williams appeared on the Rogers Centre Jumbotron before the bottom of the eighth inning of the Toronto Blue Jays' game yesterday, and the crowd applauded.
It was a warm welcome for the newest Toronto Argonaut, who was introduced at a media conference in the stadium soon after the baseball game ended.
The running back, arguably the biggest National Football League star to come to the CFL in the prime of his career, is under suspension by the NFL for failing drug tests four times.
A key to the deal was permission given yesterday by the Miami Dolphins of the NFL, who hold his contract, that will allow him to play in the CFL this season.
Williams will participate today in his first Argonauts practice with a one-year deal worth about $250,000, according to reports. It is expected Williams will return to play for the Dolphins next season.
"It hasn't been too often in the past couple of months that I've heard kind words about me and my situation," Williams said yesterday after head coach Michael Clemons introduced him. "Everyone has been so nice and so positive. It's really an uplifting feeling to be in this kind of environment."
Williams will still be tested up to 10 times a month by the NFL as part of the requirements for reinstatement. The CFL does not conduct drug testing.
Williams, 29, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner as the top U.S. college player, was suspended by the NFL for the 2006 season and the Argonauts placed him on their negotiation list last month.
He missed the Dolphins' first four games last year after testing positive for a third time. The first three positive tests were for marijuana, but the fourth was not, and there is speculation it was caused by a herbal substance.
The CFL's working agreement with the NFL states that players in Canada entering their option year have between Jan. 1 and mid-February to sign with NFL clubs. Williams's NFL suspension runs through April of 2007, seemingly disqualifying him for the 45-day window to return to Miami.
However, CFL commissioner Tom Wright has given the Dolphins assurances that Williams will return to honour his Miami contract after the 2006 CFL season.
Williams retired abruptly before the 2004 NFL season, but returned to play last year after a judge ordered that he repay Miami $8.6-million (U.S.) in bonus money for breaching his NFL contract. The Dolphins lowered that amount to $5.4-million.
Williams and Argonauts management say he is a changed person, and he talked about how he intends to be a role model. He said time away from football helped him.
"I had a chance to really mature and grow as a human being," he said.
He was asked how his violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy can be used to turn him into a role model. "In my opinion, what a role model is, is someone who gives people, especially kids, something to look at and learn from," he said. "My time here will in itself serve as a great example of how I can turn something negative into a positive."
The Dolphins had concerns about Williams's playing in the CFL and risking injury.
"I don't think there are very many benefits to the Dolphins," Williams said. "I think that speaks volumes for the kind of guy [head coach] Nick Saban is and the Dolphins' organization."
Williams has talked to Saban and told him how important the chance for him to play this season was for him. "He voiced his opinion that he doesn't necessarily condone what I'm doing, but that he's not going to get in the way of it happening," Williams said.
Williams said it would have been difficult for him to return to the Dolphins to play after being out of competition for another season.
"You obviously make more money playing football than sitting at home," he said. "It's just a good opportunity on so many different levels that I couldn't pass it up."
He admitted that he doesn't know much about the CFL, other than having a couple of friends who played in the league. "I knew the guys were always running around before the ball was snapped," he said, adding he also knew there were 12 players on the field.
As for the Argonauts, he said: "We have a very talented team. It's up to me to keep my end of the bargain. I can tell being around these guys, the environment that I'm going to be in through the season is a very positive, uplifting environment."
"This particular situation is certainly unique in nature," Clemons said. "I think we will find it making a more interesting process because it's bigger than football. I think we will get a chance to enjoy what is the best in people."
