Ricky Williams' 1998 Heisman Trophy Sells at Auction for Record-Breaking $504k

The 1998 Heisman Trophy that University of Texas running back Ricky Williams won sold for a record-setting $504,000 in a Heritage Auctions sale Friday.

Williams' Heisman, the last one awarded before the Heisman Trophy Trust started requiring players to sign an agreement forbidding the sale of the trophy, topped the previous mark of $435,763 set by the 1987 Heisman of Tim Brown from Notre Dame, according to the Associated Press.

The Longhorns standout racked up 2,124 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns during the 1998 season. He added 24 catches for 262 yards and one score.

In 2017, Williams explained what winning college football's top individual honor meant to both himself and the UT program:

"For me, winning the Heisman Trophy was an individual goal that I had for a long time, but more specifically, it was about the team coming together and getting Texas back on the map. You look at winning the Heisman Trophy and what happened after, the recruits we were able to get, Vince Young, and the things we were able to do with the teams that we had. That's what feels best about it, is knowing that I was part of that, bringing Texas back to national prominence."

Williams beat out a star-studded field that included quarterbacks Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper and cornerback Champ Bailey, among others.

The New Orleans Saints selected Williams with the fifth overall pick in the 1999 draft. Although his professional career didn't match his collegiate accomplishments, he did earn a Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro nod in 2002 after leading the league in rushing (1,853 yards, 16 rushing TDs).

Texas retired Williams' No. 34 jersey in 2000, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.