Ricky Williams went from being the fifth overall pick in 1999 by the New Orleans Saints to an early retirement in 2004. The ESPN FIlms 30 for 30: Run Ricky Run documentary dives into the life of Williams after his early retirement and then his return to the game after 3 years.

This film was interesting because it went into depth about the life of a very talented running back that saw his career plument due to marijuana issues. Though, the fascinating part of the story was that he decided to retire early. He was only charged with a 4-game suspension in 2004 season, but chose to retire rather than miss those 4 games.

The portion of the film that talks about his life during that 3-year retirement and his reasoning for leaving the game is very appealing. Getting to understand the choices he made during that time gives the audience another side of the story that nobody else knew and the film did a good job at displaying that.

The film had a very emotional side to it by focusing on William’s life and the struggles he faced with his family members. This was captured well throughout the entire piece. The interviews that were conducted with each individual gave the audience something to relate to.

One part of the film that could’ve been done better was the presentation of William’s NFL career. It briefly described his departure from New Orleans to Miami, but could’ve provided a little more information on how talented a player he truly was.

The strongest aspect of the film that separates it from other sports films has to be the underlining message you get from its context. That being that everyone has choices in life and even if you choose a specific path that doesn’t mean you can’t return again.

Overall this film was very good and well produced. It had a fascinating story that described the two different lives of Ricky Williams and how he overcame his addiction problems to return to the NFL and play for several more years. And had certain emotional aspect to it that knew how to keep the audience interested.

I recommend this film for not just football fans, but for anyone that enjoys sports and is intrigued by the choices athletes make throughout their career.