Former NFL running back Ricky Williams recently sat down with The National Marijuana News to discuss cannabis use with host Todd Denkin. During the interview, he explained how using pot made him a more focused player and has assisted him in his holistic health studies and pursuits.

Williams, who was awarded the 1998 Heisman Trophy, played for the New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens before testing positive for marijuana during a drug test in 2004.

“In 2004, when I retired from the Dolphins and I walked away from the game, it felt like time stood still,” Williams said. “It felt like my whole life, everything I had worked for, was flushed down the toilet.”

Today, Williams works as a healer and licensed massage therapist, specializing in craniosacral therapy. He is calling for the NFL to remove cannabis from its list of banned substances.

Watch the full interview above, and follow Williams on Twitter @Rickthelaureate.