Rick Williams retires, wants to go hiking or something
So Rick Williams, at the age of 27, has called it a football career. I can't really blame him, since football can beat you up and leave you crippled at any moment.
Still, it seems a bit presumptuous to compare this to Jim Brown, Barry Sanders or even Robert Smith. Number one, Williams needs to stay retired for the comparisons to even work on that level.
Second, Williams was all potential and very little return. He had two great seasons but was for the most part disappointing in a career that now has a sour note to close on.
Williams may go down as a runner who could have been great, but wasn't. Brown and Sanders are first ballot hall of Famers, and Smith had a solid career.
I am still unconvinced that he IS going to retire, but we'll see.

The Magnificent 7, Vitamin Z's Top running backs
1. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton
4. Marion Motley
5. Emmitt Smith
6. Leroy Kelley
7. Gale Sayers

* O.J Simpson is omitted for killing two people. (allegedly)Brown has been accused of bad things too, but it never reached the level of proof that Simpson's case did.