The SEC regular season leading rusher in 2016, Rawleigh Williams III, announced Monday that he is leaving football after suffering a second neck injury.
The Arkansas running back wrote in a letter explaining his difficult decision.
"I’ve dodged the bullet twice," said Williams. "I realize that at the end of the day I want to live a normal life and be around my family."
Williams first injured his neck as a freshman in a 2015 game against Auburn.
This time, the injury came on what seemed to be a normal play during a spring scrimmage. After getting tackled, Williams had difficulties getting up. The running back was carted off the field.
"Not again. I remembered the feeling. It didn’t last as long so I wasn’t as nervous, but I knew something was wrong. I knew that it was similar enough to the last time."
After talking with family, friends and doctors, Williams decided it was time to retire from the game he's played for most of his life.
"I am very grateful," Williams concluded in his letter. "It is sad but I truly believe God has a plan for my life. I believe I’m going to be blessed more than I could ever imagine. Even though my plan isn’t going to happen, I know that his plan is better than my plan."
Williams rushed for 1,360 yards and 12 touchdowns for Arkansas last year.
