When Ricky Williams set the Miami Dolphins single-season record for rushing touchdowns, Raheem Mostert was ten years old.
Mostert, a native of Florida who supported Williams throughout his best years in Miami, broke Williams’ record this past Sunday when he scored the 17th and 18th rushing touchdowns in the Dolphins’ 30-0 victory over the Jets. Williams was 21 years old at the time.
Big Williams fan Mostert claimed that Miami’s star congratulated Williams for shattering the record on social media.
“Honestly, I was sitting there thinking about Ricky Williams, because I grew up a big Ricky Williams fan,” Mostert said on Thursday when asked what was going through his mind after setting the record, via the Sun Sentinel. “Just this past Tuesday, I drove back to my hometown and me and my brother got to hang out at the park and we just started reminiscing about a time where we both had Ricky Williams’ jersey at one point, when we were younger.
“To be able to break that record, it’s so surreal for him and I, because we looked up to Rickey when we were younger, for sure.”
Mostert doesn’t need to be reminded of Williams’ excellence. In his second NFL season, Williams—one of the best collegiate running backs of all time—aided the Saints in winning their first-ever playoff game. Williams had an incredible season two years later in his debut season in Miami, where he not only set a franchise single-season record for rushing touchdowns but also won the league rushing title.
Williams had over 10,000 rushing yards at the end of his NFL career, despite missing almost two full seasons. In terms of career rushing yards, he is ranked second only to Larry Csonka in Dolphins history.
Mostert has smashed records for more Dolphins legends than just Williams this season. When he scored his 19th touchdown of the season against the Jets, he broke the 39-year-old franchise record for single-season touchdowns scored held by former Pro Bowl receiver Mark Clayton.
The Dolphins’ most recent Super Bowl campaign coincided with Clayton’s record-breaking season. Mostert, who played a key role in the 49ers’ Super Bowl victory four years prior, will undoubtedly be hopeful that his breakout campaign would help Miami end the franchise’s Super Bowl drought.
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