Ameer Abdullah facts for kids
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Abdullah with the Detroit Lions in 2015
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| No. 8 – Las Vegas Raiders | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back / Kickoff returner | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | June 13, 1993 Homewood, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 203 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Homewood (AL) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Nebraska (2011–2014) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2015 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Ameer Abdullah (born June 13, 1993) is an American professional football player. He plays as a running back and kickoff returner for the Las Vegas Raiders in the National Football League (NFL).
Abdullah was picked by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In 2013, he ran for 1,690 yards, which was the fourth-highest amount in a single season in Nebraska's history. He decided to stay for his senior year in college and was even considered a possible winner for the 2014 Heisman Trophy. He grew up in Homewood, Alabama.
Early Life and High School Football
Ameer Abdullah was a star player at Homewood High School. In his senior year, he ran for 1,800 yards and caught passes for 515 yards. He also scored four punt return touchdowns. He was named the 2010 South region player of the year. In a special all-star game, he scored the winning touchdown in overtime.
Besides football, Abdullah was also a talented track athlete. He ran the 100 meters in 11.15 seconds and had a best long jump of 6.60 meters.
College Career Highlights
Choosing a College Team
Abdullah received many football scholarships from different colleges. However, some schools like Alabama and Auburn wanted him to play cornerback, but he really wanted to be a running back. The coach at Nebraska, Bo Pelini, told him they would use his skills in the best way possible. This promise was the main reason Abdullah chose to play for Nebraska.
First Year: 2011 Season
In 2011, Abdullah was one of only six new players to play for Nebraska. He had an amazing game against Fresno State, where he gained 228 yards from returns. This included a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which broke a Nebraska record! He also scored his first college rushing touchdown against Penn State.
Second Year: 2012 Season
Abdullah became a starter for seven games after another player got injured. In his first start against UCLA, he ran for 119 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown from a punt return against Idaho State. By the end of the season, he had run for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his college career. He was ranked fourth in the Big Ten Conference for all-purpose yards.
Third Year: 2013 Season
This was a fantastic year for Abdullah. He ran for over 100 yards in 11 out of 13 games! He set a personal best with 225 rushing yards against Illinois. He was ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally for his rushing average. He was named to the All-Big Ten first-team.
After this great season, Abdullah thought about joining the NFL early. But he decided to stay at Nebraska for his final year. He said that finishing his college education was very important for his future success.
Senior Year: 2014 Season
Many experts believed Abdullah was one of the top players for the Heisman Trophy in 2014. They said he was a "complete running back" because he was hard to tackle, had great balance, and could find openings.
Nebraska even sent out "AA batteries" to sports reporters to promote his Heisman campaign! In December 2014, Abdullah won the Senior CLASS Award. This award goes to the best senior college football player who also does well in school, helps the community, and shows good character.
He started the season strong with 232 rushing yards against Florida Atlantic. He also had a game-winning 58-yard run after a catch against McNeese State. Against Miami, he ran for 229 yards and broke a Nebraska record for career all-purpose yards, passing Johnny Rodgers. He continued to have amazing games, including 208 yards and three touchdowns against Illinois, and 225 yards and four touchdowns against Rutgers. His 341 all-purpose yards against Rutgers set another new record for Nebraska.
Abdullah was named Big Ten offensive player of the week four times in 2014! He got a minor injury later in the season but still played well in his final college game, the Holiday Bowl.
College Statistics Overview
Abdullah's college career was impressive. He finished with 4,588 rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 73 passes for 690 yards and 7 touchdowns. His all-purpose yards total was 7,086, showing his versatility in running, receiving, and returning kicks.
Professional Career
Detroit Lions (2015–2018)
2015 Season: Rookie Year
The Detroit Lions picked Abdullah in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract. He started his first professional game against the San Diego Chargers, running for 50 yards and catching passes for 44 yards. He also scored his first NFL touchdown in that game. Later in the season, he scored his first touchdown from a pass. He finished his rookie year playing in all 16 games, starting nine of them. He had 597 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was named the Lions' 2015 Rookie of the Year.
2016 Season: Injury Setback
Abdullah began his second season as the Lions' starting running back. In the first game, he had 63 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. However, in the second game, he suffered a torn ligament in his left foot. This injury unfortunately ended his season early.
2017 Season: Strong Return
Abdullah came back strong in 2017. He had a career-high 86 rushing yards against the New York Giants. In Week 4, he set a new career high with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. He continued to score touchdowns in several games, including a receiving touchdown against the Chicago Bears. He finished the season with 552 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
2018 Season: Moving On
In 2018, Abdullah's role with the Lions changed. He mostly played on special teams (for kick and punt returns). He was later released by the team in November 2018.
Minnesota Vikings (2018–2021)
Soon after leaving the Lions, Abdullah was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings. He mainly focused on returning kicks for them. He re-signed with the Vikings in 2019 and 2020, continuing his role as a versatile player who could run, catch, and return kicks. In 2020, he scored two receiving touchdowns. He was released and re-signed a few times in 2021 before moving to another team.
Carolina Panthers (2021)
In October 2021, Abdullah signed with the Carolina Panthers. He played in 11 games for them, contributing with both rushing and receiving yards, and scoring a receiving touchdown.
Las Vegas Raiders (2022–Present)
Abdullah joined the Las Vegas Raiders in March 2022. In his first season with the Raiders, he played in all 17 games. He caught 25 passes for 211 yards and scored a receiving touchdown, while also helping with kickoff returns. He re-signed with the Raiders in 2023 and again in 2024. In the 2024 season, he had 311 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, along with 261 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He continues to be a key player for the Raiders, especially on special teams.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Kick returns | |||||||||||||
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| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2015 | DET | 16 | 9 | 143 | 597 | 4.2 | 36 | 2 | 25 | 183 | 7.3 | 36 | 1 | 37 | 1,077 | 29.1 | 104 | 0 |
| 2016 | DET | 2 | 2 | 18 | 101 | 5.6 | 24 | 0 | 5 | 57 | 11.4 | 18 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 2017 | DET | 14 | 11 | 165 | 552 | 3.3 | 34 | 4 | 25 | 162 | 6.5 | 22 | 1 | 8 | 179 | 22.4 | 29 | 0 |
| 2018 | DET | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 107 | 26.8 | 33 | 0 |
| MIN | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 258 | 25.8 | 33 | 0 | |
| 2019 | MIN | 16 | 0 | 23 | 115 | 5.0 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 88 | 5.9 | 16 | 1 | 13 | 325 | 25.0 | 38 | 0 |
| 2020 | MIN | 16 | 0 | 8 | 42 | 5.3 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 58 | 7.3 | 22 | 2 | 15 | 352 | 23.5 | 33 | 0 |
| 2021 | MIN | 6 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 4.3 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 162 | 23.1 | 45 | 0 |
| CAR | 11 | 1 | 44 | 136 | 3.1 | 15 | 0 | 35 | 272 | 7.8 | 23 | 1 | 22 | 484 | 22.0 | 39 | 0 | |
| 2022 | LV | 17 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 5.0 | 7 | 0 | 25 | 211 | 8.4 | 23 | 1 | 26 | 543 | 20.9 | 33 | 0 |
| 2023 | LV | 17 | 0 | 15 | 89 | 5.9 | 12 | 0 | 19 | 131 | 6.9 | 18 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 2024 | LV | 16 | 3 | 66 | 311 | 4.7 | 40 | 2 | 40 | 261 | 6.5 | 24 | 3 | 9 | 296 | 32.9 | 68 | 0 |
| Career | 141 | 26 | 494 | 1,994 | 4.0 | 40 | 8 | 203 | 1,468 | 7.2 | 36 | 11 | 151 | 3,783 | 25.1 | 104 | 0 | |
Personal Life
Ameer Abdullah was born on June 13, 1993, in Homewood, Alabama. He is the youngest of nine children. His parents are Kareem and Aisha Abdullah. His father, Kareem, is an imam, which is a religious leader in Islam, and he guides his son in his faith.
Abdullah is a Muslim. He prays five times a day and observes Ramadan, which is a month of fasting, even during football season. He believes that fasting during Ramadan helps him become mentally stronger and more disciplined. He feels it helps him focus and be at his best mentally, especially before training camp.
Images for kids
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Abdullah turning the corner on his third touchdown run.
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Abdullah crossing the 20 yard line.
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Abdullah heading to the end zone for his second touchdown.
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Abdullah crosses the goal line.
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Ameer Abdullah running for a touchdown in the fourth quarter during the Nebraska against Miami on September 9, 2014.
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