Rashard Mendenhall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rashard Mendenhall

Mendenhall with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009
No. 34, 28
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1987-06-19) June 19, 1987 (age 38) Skokie, Illinois, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Niles West (Skokie, Illinois)
College:	Illinois (2005–2007)
NFL Draft:	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23
Career history
Pittsburgh Steelers (2008) Arizona Cardinals (2013)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XLIII) First-team All-American (2007) Big Ten Most Valuable Player (2007) Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2007) First-team All-Big Ten (2007)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 4,236 Rushing average: 3.9 Rushing touchdowns: 37 Receptions: 95 Receiving yards: 795 Receiving touchdowns: 2
Player stats at PFR

Rashard Jamal Mendenhall, born on June 19, 1987, is a former American professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. Rashard played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose him in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. He helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII. Later, he played one season for the Arizona Cardinals. After his football career, Rashard became a writer for the TV show Ballers.

Early Life and High School Football

Rashard Mendenhall grew up in Skokie, Illinois. He went to Lincoln Jr. High School and Niles West High School. He was a very talented football player in high school. Experts even called him the best new player in Illinois.

High School Stats

As a sophomore, Rashard ran for 1,300 yards. He also scored 21 touchdowns. In his junior year, he gained 1,832 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. He averaged 11.6 yards every time he carried the ball. In his final year, he ran for 1,453 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged 9.1 yards per carry. After high school, Rashard played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College Football Career

Rashard Mendenhall played college football for the University of Illinois football team. He started playing in 2005.

College Seasons

In 2005, he ran for 218 yards and caught passes for 82 yards. He scored two touchdowns that year. In 2006, Rashard ran for 640 yards and scored five touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown.

His best college season was in 2007. He set a school record by running for 1,681 yards. He scored 17 touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 34 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns. Rashard studied Sports Management in college.

College Recognition

Rashard was featured on the cover of Sporting News' High School Football Magazine. On May 8, 2023, Rashard Mendenhall was honored. He was named to the Illini Hall of Fame.

College Statistics Overview

Professional Football Career

The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Rashard Mendenhall in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the 23rd player picked overall. Before his first season, ESPN ranked him as one of the top running backs.

Playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers

On July 25, 2008, Rashard signed a five-year contract with the Steelers. He was expected to play alongside star running back Willie Parker. He also helped return kicks. In a preseason game, he fumbled the ball twice. His teammate Hines Ward even put a football in his locker with a note. Rashard had to carry the ball everywhere until the next game to practice holding onto it.

Rashard was the youngest player on the Steelers in 2008. He became a starter in Week 4 when Willie Parker got hurt. In that game, he ran for 30 yards. However, he broke his shoulder and missed the rest of the season. He finished his first year with 58 rushing yards.

In 2009, Rashard started again when Willie Parker was injured. Against the San Diego Chargers, he had a great game. He ran for 165 yards and scored two touchdowns. This game really helped start his NFL career.

His 2010 season was even better. He ran for 1,273 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. He helped the Steelers reach the Super Bowl again. They played against the Green Bay Packers but lost. Rashard had a fumble in the fourth quarter that led to the Packers scoring.

The 2011 season was tough for Rashard. He only ran for over 100 yards twice in 15 games. Still, he scored 9 touchdowns. In the last game of the season, he hurt his knee. He tore his ACL and was put on the injured list. He finished the year with 928 rushing yards. In December 2012, the Steelers suspended him for one game. This happened because he did not show up to a game after being told he would not play.

Playing for the Arizona Cardinals

On March 13, 2013, Rashard signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. He scored eight rushing touchdowns for the Cardinals that season.

Retirement from Football

In March 2014, when he was 26 years old, Rashard Mendenhall decided to retire from the NFL. He said, "Football was pretty cool, but I don't want to play anymore. I want to travel the world and write!"

NFL Career Statistics Overview

Writing Career After Football

After retiring from football, Rashard Mendenhall started a new career. He became a writer and story editor for the HBO sports comedy show Ballers. Some parts of the show were even inspired by his own experiences as a football player.

See also

In Spanish: Rashard Mendenhall para niños