While the NFL has experienced unparalleled success of late it faces one issue that could bring the good times to a grinding halt: Player safety. The neurodegenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) the result of repeated traumatic brain injury on the field has been discovered in an alarming number of deceased NFL players.Additionally pharmaceutical addiction plagues the league as players battling injuries often rely on painkillers to get through games. Incredibly there is a natural non-toxic medicine valued for its neuro-protective potential healing properties and ability to reduce pain. Unfortunately the league is not interested. Many former players have called on the NFL to embrace cannabis as an alternative to dangerous and addictive painkillers. Some believe that it is the key to solving the leagues concussion problem. To date these pleas have fallen on deaf ears as the league continues to ban cannabis in all forms. While the NFL chooses to embrace prohibition to its determent a number of former players have found that marijuana greatly improved their lives both during and after their professional careers. HIGH TIMES editor-in-chief Dan Skye spoke to several retired players for our Pot and the NFL feature in the November 2016 issue of HT. Well sharea new player testimonial on the benefits of cannabis hereeach Sunday. Were kicking off our series of player testimonials with one of the first NFL stars to publicly support cannabis as an important aspect of wellness Ricky Williams. Ricky Williams(running back) played from 1999 to 2011 for the New Orleans Saints the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens. He was suspended for the 2006 season after testing positive for cannabis four times. I dont regret my cannabis use during my career. Just the opposite Im very proud of myself and very grateful that I was somehow able to be courageous enough to trust myself and follow my heart. I think the choices I made allowed me to play 11 years in the NFL and rush for over 10000 yards and then be able to walk away from the game and be healthy. I have a very active vibrant life and I dont think I wouldve been able to create this life if I hadnt left the game for a year in 2004. I was in the middle of a personal transformation and I was lucky enough not to resist it. I think anytime you go through a transformation in the public eye its difficult. But I was smart I left the country and I was in a space where no one knew who I was. I got a chance to grow and get to know myself. When I came back to the States I was a stronger person in a better place to deal with it. If cannabis had been legal back then I think for sure Id be going to the Hall of Fame no doubt about it. Some say my numbers arent strong enough. But if I could have used cannabis and been allowed to be a positive person in the community and continue to play then yeah I think Id definitely be in the Hall of Fame. I understand the NFL as an entity. Its just human nature to fight for survival. If I were them Id look to the National Hockey League which doesnt test for cannabis and they dont have any issues. To test the whole league just isnt necessary. Im the kind of guy whos always thinking about ways to improve whether its to be a better person a better father a better football player whatever. My mind is always working that way. I read take in information. I find that when I use cannabis it allows me to make connections as I gather information. I recognize patterns and make connections that give my life meaning. Im really passionate about making the world a better place and being a better person. I advocate for legalization or at least its regulation and legalization. But I believe in using cannabis consciously in ways that enrich your life. Im a proponent of wellness. For me cannabis has been a key tool for me in moving in that direction. I enjoy my life. Its not perfect but I feel engaged. I wake up happy every morning. And cannabis is part of that story. I consider myself a healer of sorts so I think healing is something thats important something I think everyone can use a little bit more of both physical and emotional especially football players. Checkback HERE each Sunday for continued NFL coverage on HIGH TIMES! by Ricky Williams at High Times