William Green had a chance to do something special in Cleveland. He was the team's first-round draft choice in 2002 at No. 16 overall, meaning he was set to be the first running back that the team had heavily invested in. Green had a pretty good rookie season. While he was never really a game-changer, I'll always have a soft spot for him for the run he had in the final week of the season against the Atlanta Falcons. That is the run that produced Jim Donovan's infamous, "Run William, Run!" call.
The following year, it looked like Green was going to keep on rolling. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry through seven games. That's when things quickly went downhill.
After Green's good start in 2003, here is what happened:
- He was arrested for drunk driving and marijuana possession.
- He was suspended for four games.
- While under suspension, he was stabbed by his fiancee in the back in a domestic dispute.
It's hard to believe that Green started 13 games in 2004, but you wouldn't know it based on his statistics as he gained just 585 yards for the season. He had a pre-game fight with Steeler Joey Porter that season and was ejected, but that didn't motivate the team very much. He also had other personal issues going on in his life, and the following year he barely played due to injury.
Green tried to return to the NFL in 2008 but was too slow. After showing some early promise, the return on investment for Green certainly didn't end up being worth it.
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