Arizona Cardinals Ryan Williams is coming off of two years in the NFL and two seasons that ended in injury. In 2011, he suffered a torn patella tendon in the preseason and never even got to play his rookie season. In 2012, he had a shoulder injury that ended his season.
Now he is starting over again. He has a new coaching staff, a new season and also a new look. He cut off his dreds, but more on that later.
He was on the radio with Bickley and MJ and he called the shoulder injury a "blessing in disguise."
The injury he suffered has historically been devastating for running backs. Williams knew that coming back in one year was going to be tough.
He implied that he was pushed to come back faster than his body was ready. He didn't speak badly of the previous coaching staff or complain about being pushed to play, but he did mention being 60, 70, 80 percent and coming back. But he knows that is how it works in the league.
Now, to turn that around, during training camp, the preseason and the start of the season, Williams did not ever say anything like that. He said he was good to go. He did not mention how he was still managing pain, in addition to back spasms and stiff hips.
After his knee surgery, he didn't even get to start running until March. Between March and August, he just was unable to get his legs under him.
With the shoulder surgery, he was able to get more rest for the knee. Even three months ago, he was doing things with his legs he couldn't do. This will also be the first offseason that he is able to participate in offseason activities -- minicamps and OTAs. He could not in 2011 because of the lockout and last year he was still coming back from his knee surgery.
This offseason he will be able to participate in everything and, as such, have his football legs in training camp.
The radio hosts also asked him about Beanie Wells, a friend of Williams, and what he learned from Beanie's experience (the plight with injuries).
Williams gave some interesting insight. "You can't expect some guys to come back from their injuries in the time they are given," he said. He said that the body just doesn't work like that. They can be back, but unless the body has been given enough time to get right, you can't expect him to be the same guy.
What are we all hoping? That Williams is ready and productive. Head coach Bruce Arians has gushed about him.
As for the hair? He decided to cut it off because. "I felt like I was gaining female tendencies," he explained.
His hair was about chest length and he noticed that he had to do things like flip his hair back. "It started weirding me out," he said. "Females do that. I don't want to be some pretty dude."
So there's that.
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