FAYETTEVILLE -- Rawleigh Williams announced the end of his college football career in a poignant message to Arkansas football fans.
Williams, an All-SEC junior tailback for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, wrote a farewell letter titled "Next Chapter" and posted it Monday on social media and the UA's athletics website to break the news.
Williams bounced back from major neck surgery in October 2015 to rush for 1,360 yards last season, but suffered a second neurological event early in the Razorbacks' Red-White practice on April 29.
In his message, Williams wrote, "I'm moving on to the next chapter of my life. ... It still doesn't seem real yet, but I really don't have a choice. I've dodged the bullet twice. I realize that at the end of the day I want to live a normal life and be around my family."
Williams, 20, discussed how his injury impacted his parents, Rawleigh and Kim, brother Brian and sister Alyssa.
"My family is the most important thing in my life," he wrote. "The first thing I thought when it all happened was the reaction of my mom, dad, sister and brother. I didn't want them to go through this all over again. I just wanted to stand up to calm them down and show them that I was OK."
Williams, 5-10, 229 pounds, from Bishop Lynch High in Dallas, went into some detail about the final run of his football career.
"I've seen the replay. I saw a normal hit," he wrote. "That scared me. It shows me it doesn't take a big hit at this point. Any little thing can trigger it. I also saw the reaction of my mom and my sister. That broke my heart. I can't do this anymore. I want to be able to walk."
Williams, after nontackling "thud" contact by Arkansas defensive end McTelvin Agim, fell to the ground and said "I can't move," on an outside zone run early in the April 29 indoor practice at the Walker Pavilion.
The facility fell silent and the Razorbacks went to their knees for a team prayer as medical personnel cut Williams' jersey away, lifted him onto a stretcher and into an ambulance for the ride to the hospital.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema, an outspoken advocate for player safety, gave an indication of what was to come on the day of Williams' injury, which was described as a stinger.
"All we want is ... I love Rawleigh Williams walking and talking and doing everything else," Bielema said that Saturday.
On Monday, Bielema and Arkansas' offensive captains released statements regarding Williams' decision to hang up his cleats.
"This next chapter in Rawleigh's life will be filled with unlimited success in any career path or any way of life he chooses," Bielema said. "As a head coach I couldn't be more excited to begin the next chapter with him and be there for him."
Quarterback Austin Allen's statement read, in part, "Rawleigh is a guy that every team in college football wishes they could have on their team. He's hardworking, unselfish, determined and an all-around great teammate.
"When your best player is also the one who treats others with respect, is the hardest working, and one of the best in the classroom, you know that guy is special. That will be Rawleigh's lasting legacy with this program."
Center Frank Ragnow said in his statement, "The term uncommon is something we use around football, but Rawleigh defines uncommon as a friend. He is a guy in the locker room who everyone loves, always seems to be in a good mood, works extremely hard and is the same guy every day. He does everything the right way and that is why it breaks my heart that this happened to him."
Williams intends to remain in school and help with the football team, a UA source said.
During one segment of his letter, Williams praised Bielema, writing, "I'm grateful to him for the opportunity to play football at the University of Arkansas and in front of the best fans in college football. I'm grateful for the opportunities I'm going to earn during the rest of my time here.
"I can't wait to work under him and learn. I want to be a General Manager one day and he's already helped me look into career paths to achieve my goals."
Williams said making the call to step away from football was difficult because he's been playing since he was 4, but that he prayed, "listened to my doctors, my parents and my gut."
Williams was first injured when his head was twisted around on a face-mask penalty against Auburn's Kris Frost on Oct. 24, 2015. He lost feeling in his extremities for a while that day at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, though he regained sensation while in an ambulance on his way to Physicians Specialty Hospital in Fayetteville.
Dr. James Blankenship replaced a ruptured disc high in Williams' neck and fused it in place.
Williams did not go through contact work last spring, but he rebounded to lead the SEC in the regular season with 1,326 rushing yards and seven 100-yard games. He finished the season with 1,360 yards after being held to 34 yards in Arkansas' Belk Bowl loss to Virginia Tech.
Williams' departure leaves sophomore Devwah Whaley as Arkansas' most experienced tailback. Whaley rushed for 602 yards and three touchdowns as Williams' primary backup in 2016.
Sports on 05/09/2017
