Ricky Williams could be back in the NFL soon enough. He has been talking with the Miami Dolphins concerning his return after he fled the team very close to the start of the season, leaving the team high and dry without a quality starting running back (highest rusher last year: Sammy Morris with 523 yards and 6 TDs).

The AP reports that Dolphins coach Nick Saban confirmed Williams and the Dolphins are discussing a potential comeback.

The story was placed on ESPN.com at 1:39 a.m. — the same time of day, more or less, that the initial story broke that Williams was leaving the team simply because he didn't want to play football anymore.

I was fine with it, notably because he wasn't on my fantasy team.

Of course, we now understand he failed a drug test soon before his retirement. If he wanted to quit, nothing should keep him from doing what he wants in a free country. Sure, he's contractually bound, and the Dolphins wound up getting $8.6 million back from his contract, but if Ricky wanted to travel the world with Lenny Kravitz and enjoy the "high life," none of us this side of the Miami P.D. can stop him.

Sure, the timing could have been better, but there's never a good timing when your star running back retires in his prime. Eddie George had already found another team, and there weren't any quality starting backs looking for a team, but if the Fins felt they had a chance to compete, they could have traded for Travis Henry from Buffalo since he knew Willis McGahee would soon get his starting job (and did). And, in a season of turmoil, they did end up beating the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Monday Night Football near the end of the season.

And the guy who drafted Ricky in our fantasy team gave up soonafter his retirement, but wound up doing OK.

There's much more to life beyond football. Good running backs have retired for various reasons: Barry Sanders at 31, Jim Brown at 30 and Robert Smith at 28.

But Williams, who retired at 27, has not been removed from the game for even a year, and he already wants back. It's clear he still has the drive, or at least rediscovered his passion during his abrupt vacation. You can never tell what's going through the head of a man with social anxiety disorder.

If the team, including the players, want him back and he can live with the way he left the game while enduring criticism from sportswriters, fans and the inner circle of professional football players, then the best of luck to him. He also has to come to grips with his NFL replica jersey being on a massive price cut from $65 to $29.95.

We may never know the reasoning or logic behind his quick departure from bouncing through defensive linemen like a Plinko chip. Some of us don't care. But if a cliche should apply towards his decisions in life, "shit or get off the pot" would fit best.

Play football. Coach pee wee football. Smoke yourself stupid and become a freelance artist. But Ricky, follow your heart and do something, so not only you can find stability in your life, but so we can adjust our fantasy drafts accordingly.