Rashaan Salaam facts for kids
Salaam holding the Heisman trophy, 1994
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| No. 31, 29, 11 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | October 8, 1974 San Diego, California |
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| Died: | December 5, 2016 (aged 42) Boulder, Colorado |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | La Jolla (CA) Country Day | ||||||||
| College: | Colorado | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Rashaan Iman Salaam (October 8, 1974 – December 5, 2016) was an American football player. He was a talented running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). Salaam played for four seasons during the 1990s.
He played college football for the University of Colorado. In 1994, he won the famous Heisman Trophy. The Chicago Bears picked him in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He also played professionally for the Cleveland Browns.
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Early Life
Rashaan Salaam was born in San Diego, California. His father, Teddy Washington, was also a football player. He played as a running back for the Cincinnati Bengals. Rashaan attended La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego.
He played eight-man football in high school. He often ran for over 100 yards in his games. Rashaan was recognized as a high school All-American. Later, he was honored in his school's athletic hall of fame.
College Football Star
Salaam went to the University of Colorado. He played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team from 1992 to 1994. In 1994, as a junior, he had an amazing season. He rushed for a school-record 2,055 yards. This made him only the fourth college running back to gain over 2,000 yards in a single season.
He also scored 24 touchdowns that year. Salaam helped Colorado achieve an 11–1 record. They won against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. The team finished ranked No. 3 in the country.
Salaam had four games where he rushed for over 200 yards. His best game was against the Texas Longhorns. He set a school record with 362 total yards. He was chosen as a unanimous first-team All-American. In December, he won the Heisman Trophy. He also won the Walter Camp Award and Doak Walker Award.
Playing in the NFL
The Chicago Bears chose Salaam in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He was the 21st player picked overall. He played for the Bears from 1995 to 1997. In his first year as a rookie, he rushed for 1,074 yards. He also scored 10 touchdowns.
After his rookie season, his playing time decreased. He played for the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers in 1999. He also briefly played in the XFL for the Memphis Maniax in 2001. An injury ended his season early.
In 2003, Salaam tried to return to the NFL. He was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers. However, he was released before the season started. In 2004, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). His career ended shortly after.
Later Years
Rashaan Salaam was found deceased on December 5, 2016. He was found in a park in Boulder, Colorado.
Amazing Achievements
- Youngest player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards
See Also
- List of Heisman Trophy winners
- List of NCAA major college football yearly rushing leaders
- List of NCAA major college football yearly scoring leaders
