Ephraim Salaam facts for kids

Ephraim Mateen Salaam, born on June 19, 1976, is a former American professional football player. He played as an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). The Atlanta Falcons chose him in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL draft. Before turning pro, he played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs.

Salaam played for several NFL teams. These included the Falcons, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Houston Texans.

Early Life and Sports

Ephraim Salaam played high school football at Florin High School in Sacramento, California. He was also a star on the basketball team. In his senior year, he averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds per game. He earned honors for his basketball skills.

College Football Career

Salaam attended San Diego State University. He became a starter for three years on their football team. He played both as a right and left tackle. In total, he played in 31 college games. He also played on the university's basketball team.

Professional Football Career

The Atlanta Falcons picked Ephraim Salaam in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL draft. He was the 199th player chosen overall. In Salaam's first year, the Falcons had a great season. They won 14 games and lost only 2.

The Falcons also won the NFC Championship. This earned them their first trip ever to the Super Bowl. Salaam started as the right tackle in Super Bowl XXXIII. The Falcons lost to the Denver Broncos in that game. Salaam was one of the youngest players to start a Super Bowl at age 22. He was also one of only four rookies in NFL history to start all 19 games, including the Super Bowl.

Salaam played a total of 13 seasons in the National Football League. He played for five different NFL teams. These teams were the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Detroit Lions.

Basketball After Football

On October 31, 2013, Salaam was invited to a training camp. This was for the Texas Legends basketball team. However, he was later released from the team on November 17, 2013.

Life Outside Football

Ephraim Salaam appeared in a TV commercial during Super Bowl XLII. He was with his Texans teammate Chester Pitts. In the ad, Salaam told a story about meeting Pitts. He said he saw Pitts bagging groceries while Salaam was at San Diego State University. Salaam was impressed by Pitts' size. He convinced Pitts to try out for the San Diego State Aztecs football team as a walk-on. The commercial then showed that Pitts was a second-round draft pick, while Salaam was a seventh-round pick.

On February 10, 2013, Salaam was interviewed by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This event took place at the United States Department of State. It was held to honor many Muslim athletes.

On January 24, 2013, Salaam shared a family connection. He revealed on a podcast that he is the nephew of former basketball star Bob McAdoo.

Salaam also became a sports analyst. He joined Fox Sports 1 in 2013.

Movie and TV Work

Ephraim Salaam has also worked in movies and television. In 2009, director Deon Taylor cast him in a film project. It was called Dark Christmas. This movie was part of the Nite Tales series.

Salaam has also worked as a producer for two TV shows. These shows were Dead Tone (2007) and Supremacy (2012).

Reality TV Appearance

In 2013, Salaam took part in the 23rd season of The Amazing Race. He competed with his former teammate Chester Pitts. They faced several travel delays on their way from Santiago to Lisbon. They ended up finishing in 9th place out of 11 teams. They were the third team to be eliminated from the race. This happened when the host, Phil Keoghan, met them at Lisbon Airport. All other teams had already finished their tasks and checked in at the Pit Stop. Salaam and Pitts became the first team in Amazing Race history to be eliminated at the airport.

After his football career, Ephraim also became a host. He hosted shows for various TV and radio stations. In October 2023, Salaam participated in the CBS game show Raid the Cage.