The Philadelphia Eagles released their first-round draft pick on Thursday — nearly three decades after drafting the once-promising offensive tackle.

Bernard Williams started all 16 games in 1994 at left tackle and was named to the league’s All-Rookie team that season.

Williams, however, tested positive for marijuana that July.

Three months later, he again tested positive and was banned for the entire 1995 season.

Williams would have been eligible to play in the 1996 season but never applied for reinstatement with the NFL, leaving him in limbo on the Eagles roster until Thursday, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The former 14th overall pick would suit up to play his final NFL game on Christmas Eve in Cincinnati that same season.

Williams took six years off from football but returned to play a short stint in the XFL and the Arena Football League before heading north to play in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts from 2003 to 2006. 

Despite not playing in the NFL since 1994, the 51-year-old left tackle landed on waivers after being officially released on Thursday, making him a free agent.

Williams was driving his Amazon delivery route in Atlanta when he caught wind that he had finally been dropped from the Eagles roster, the outlet reported.

Williams’ reason for not trying for reinstatement with the NFL runs more profound than he simply liked to get high.

He shared that he started smoking in college to deal with the stress and trauma of a series of events that interrupted his peruse of becoming a pro athlete.

“Marijuana was my crutch during that time,” he said.

Williams’ father had died when he was still in high school — followed by the death of his grandparents, cousin, and a dear friend being shot and killed while playing at the University of Georgia.

Sadly, soon after, his aunt, Alice Johnson, was sentenced to life in prison on drug charges — but was pardoned years later by President Donald Trump.

“I just wanted to be home,” he told the outlet.

But, tragedy would continue to follow Williams into the league, with his mother breaking the news to him that she had breast cancer on draft day and Memphis police officers roughing him up shortly before heading to Philadelphia, the outlet reported.

Now long removed from his short tenure in the NFL, Williams says that he “found peace with it early,” and seeing athletes take their mental health more seriously today is an inspiration.

“I applaud the young athletes like Simone Biles who are taking time off to deal with their personal issues and mental health. If I was given that opportunity back then, I think I would’ve played a lot longer than I did.”