Ahmad Rashad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ahmad Rashad

Rashad in 2009
No. 28, 27
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1949-11-19) November 19, 1949 (age 75) Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Mount Tahoma (Tacoma, Washington)
College:	Oregon (1968–1971)
NFL Draft:	1972 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Career history
St. Louis Cardinals (1972) Buffalo Bills (1974) Minnesota Vikings (1976)
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Pro (1979) 4× Pro Bowl (1978–1981) 50 Greatest Vikings Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor Minnesota Vikings 25th Anniversary Team Minnesota Vikings 40th Anniversary Team First-team All-American (1971) 3× First-team All-Pac-8 (1969, 1970, 1971) Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 495 Receiving yards: 6,831 Receiving touchdowns: 44
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Ahmad Rashad (born Robert Earl Moore; November 19, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former professional football wide receiver. He was chosen fourth overall in the 1972 NFL draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was known as Bobby Moore before he changed his name in 1973.

After high school, he was recruited by the University of Oregon to play wide receiver for the Oregon Webfoots. He later switched to the running back position and was named to the 1971 College Football All-America Team.

He became a professional player after being drafted by the Cardinals. Rashad returned to playing as a wide receiver. He played for the Cardinals for two seasons. After being traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1974, he missed the 1975 season due to a knee injury. He then signed with the Seattle Seahawks before the 1976 season. They traded him shortly after to the Minnesota Vikings (1976–1982). With the Vikings, he was selected for four Pro Bowl games from 1978 to 1981.

After retiring from football, Rashad started a career in television. He worked as a sports analyst, game reporter, and anchor for various sports shows. Rashad was a panelist on the NFL Live pregame show for NBC. He also famously hosted the National Basketball Association weekly shows NBA Inside Stuff (1990–2004) and NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad (2005–2011). He has appeared as a TV sports personality in several movies and TV shows. He has also hosted non-sports game shows and reality TV shows. As of 2021, he works with the New York Knicks digital content team, making videos for their YouTube channel and hosting events at Madison Square Garden.

Early Life and Name Change

Ahmad Rashad was born Robert Earl Moore in 1949 in Portland, Oregon. His family later moved to Tacoma, Washington, where he played high school football. Rashad graduated from Mount Tahoma High School. He then received an athletic scholarship to the University of Oregon in Eugene. He played football for the Ducks under head coach Jerry Frei. He was also a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and studied elementary education.

In 1972, Robert Moore converted to Islam. He had started studying Islam while in college. A year later, in 1973, he legally changed his name to Ahmad Rashād. This name means "admirable one led to truth" in Arabic.

Football Career Highlights

At the University of Oregon, Moore played as a wide receiver and wingback in 1969. He was named to the all-conference team that year. He then moved to the running back position. In 1971, he became an All-American running back. During his final season with the Ducks in 1971, he rushed for 1,211 yards and caught 32 passes for 324 yards. He also scored 10 touchdowns.

He finished his three college seasons with 2,036 rushing yards, 131 receptions for 1,565 yards, and 36 touchdowns. When Moore left Oregon, his rushing yards, receptions, and 226 points were all school records.

Professional Football Teams

Moore was the fourth player picked in the 1972 NFL draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was named to the UPI all-rookie team in 1972. After one more season with the Cardinals, he was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 1974. In Buffalo, Rashad shared a room with O. J. Simpson during road games in 1974. He missed the 1975 season because of a knee injury.

In 1976, Rashad joined the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent. Just before the 1976 regular season began, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. He initially failed the Vikings' physical exam, but quarterback Fran Tarkenton helped him stay on the team. The Vikings reached the Super Bowl that season, which was their last appearance in the championship game for many years.

Career Achievements

During his professional football career, Ahmad Rashad caught 495 passes for 6,831 yards and scored 44 touchdowns. He also rushed for 52 yards.

One of the most famous plays of his career happened in December 1980. In a game against the Cleveland Browns, Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer threw a "Hail Mary pass" to Rashad. This amazing catch led to a 28–23 comeback victory and a division title for the Vikings. This play is known as "The Miracle at the Met" or "The Miracle Catch." Rashad also holds the record for the longest play from scrimmage that didn't score a touchdown: 98 yards in a 1972 game against the Rams.

In 1992, Rashad was inducted into Oregon's Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on May 9, 2007.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Broadcasting and Television Career

After his football career, Ahmad Rashad became a well-known sports broadcaster. He covered NFL, NBA, and MLB games. He worked as a studio anchor and game reporter for NBC and ABC.

One of his most famous roles was hosting NBA Inside Stuff for 16 seasons. This show was a weekly digest of NBA highlights and features. He also hosted the video-clip show Real TV in 2000 and the reality show Celebrity Mole. He co-hosted the game show Caesars Challenge and hosted NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad on ABC. He also hosted the first season of Game Show Network's Tug of Words.

Rashad has made guest appearances on several TV shows. He often interviewed his long-time friend Michael Jordan when he was at NBC. In early 2013, he became a panelist on the talk show Morning Drive on the Golf Channel. Since 2012, Rashad has narrated the yearly highlight films for NBA championship teams.

As of May 2021, Rashad works for the New York Knicks. He is part of their digital content team, creating videos for the team's YouTube channel. He also hosts events for the team at Madison Square Garden.

Basketball Career Experience

Just before his show NBA Inside Stuff launched in 1990, Ahmad Rashad, who was 40 years old, signed a two-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. This was a promotional event for the show. He was allowed to practice with the team and play in an NBA preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This game was the first preseason game ever played at the new Target Center in front of a large crowd. Many fans came to support Rashad because of his football career as a Viking.

Rashad was known for his athleticism from his football days. He played in the game, coming in for Hersey Hawkins. In his first play, he committed a foul. During a timeout, coach Jim Lynam designed a play for Rashad to get an open shot. Rashad made the 20-foot shot, scoring the first and only points of his NBA career. He later said he replayed that moment in his head many times.

After the game, Rashad's performance was praised by teammates and coaches, including Hall of Fame player Charles Barkley. Rashad announced his retirement from basketball after the game and was released from the team. He finished his NBA career with a perfect 1.000 field goal percentage, having made every shot he took.

NBA Career Statistics

Preseason

Personal Life

Ahmad Rashad has six children. He is currently married to Ana Luz Rodriguez-Paz, a psychologist.