When NFL fans hear the name Ricky Williams, they immediately think of one thing — marijuana.

The former fifth overall pick failed multiple drug tests as a member of the Dolphins, which led him to an early retirement before the 2004 season. After missing a year, he returned to the Dolphins where he failed another drug test and was suspended for the entire 2006 season.

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At the same time, the Dolphins had spent the second overall pick in 2005 on Ronnie Brown. Eventually, Brown and Williams became a dynamic duo on the field, which developed into an off-the-field friendship. Appearing on the Brown and Scoop podcast, Brown says the perception regarding Williams was unfair.

“It was kind of over exaggerated," Brown said about Williams' marijuana use. "Knowing Ricky and us having a relationship the way we did, he’s just a free spirit. Ricky is one of those people that if he thinks a certain way that’s how he’s gonna think, nothing is going to be affected by how people around him act, how people around him think. He’s one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, probably give you the clothes off his back. If that’s what he chose to do he was going to do it. It didn’t matter if that was a rule. That’s how he handled a situation.”

Brown also said Williams "didn’t do it as much as it was portrayed" and that "the misconception is he quit football to smoke weed," adding, "that’s so far from the truth."