Husain Abdullah facts for kids
Abdullah in 2014
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| No. 39 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | July 27, 1985 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 204 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Pomona (Pomona, California) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Washington State (2003–2007) | ||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2008 | ||||||||||||
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Husain Abdullah (born July 27, 1985) is a former American professional football player. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). Husain played for the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs. He decided to retire from the NFL after seven seasons. This was because of several concussions (brain injuries) he had during his career. He was worried about his future health. Before joining the NFL, Abdullah played college football at Washington State University. His older brother, Hamza Abdullah, was also an NFL safety.
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Early Life and High School Football
Husain Abdullah grew up in Los Angeles, California. He went to Pomona High School. He was very well known for his skills in sports. Husain was the captain of his school's football team. He played as a defensive back and also helped on special teams by returning kicks.
During his second year, Husain was named the team's best defensive player. He was also chosen as the "rookie of the year." In his third year, he won the All-Inland Valley award. By his senior year, he was ranked as the 9th best safety on the west coast.
Playing in the NFL
Starting with the Minnesota Vikings
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Husain Abdullah was not chosen by any team in the NFL draft. However, he later signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2008. For his first two seasons (2008-2009), he played as a backup safety.
Before the 2010 season, Husain earned a starting spot as a strong safety. He won the job after competing with other players. In the 2011 season, he became the starting free safety. Sadly, his season ended early due to a concussion. This was his fourth concussion in just over a year.
Joining the Kansas City Chiefs
After taking a year off from football, Husain Abdullah signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2013, he played in all 16 regular season games. He started in two of those games. He also played in the Chiefs' playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts. In that game, he made two interceptions, which tied a team playoff record!
After the 2013 season, Abdullah signed another contract with the Chiefs in March 2014. On September 29, 2014, during a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots, Husain intercepted a pass. He then ran it all the way back for a touchdown!
After scoring, he slid on his knees and bowed down to give praise. He was given a penalty for "unsportsmanlike conduct." However, the very next day, the NFL said that the penalty was a mistake. They said it should not have been called. This penalty caused a lot of discussion online and around the world.
Why Husain Retired from Football
On March 28, 2016, Husain Abdullah announced he was retiring from football. He explained that he was worried about his health. He had suffered five concussions during his career. He later wrote an essay in The Players Tribune to explain his decision more deeply. He chose to stop playing to protect his long-term health.
Husain's Personal Life
Husain Abdullah is one of 12 children born to Yusuf and Sa'eeda Johnwell. He is a practicing Muslim. This means he follows the Islamic faith. As a Muslim, he observes fasting during Ramadan, even when it was football season.
He took the entire 2012–2013 NFL season off. He used this time to make a special journey called the Hajj to Mecca. He went with his brother, Hamza Abdullah. Husain is also a member of Alpha Lambda Mu. This is America's first and only Muslim fraternity.
