Rashod Bateman facts for kids

Rashod Bateman was born on November 29, 1999. He is an American professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens team in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Minnesota. The Ravens picked him in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Growing Up and High School Football

Rashod Bateman grew up in Tifton, Georgia. He went to Tift County High School. During his junior year, he caught 56 passes. He gained 825 yards and scored five touchdowns.

After that season, he received a scholarship offer from the University of Minnesota. He decided to commit to playing college football there. In his senior year, he was named first-team All-State. He caught 83 passes for 1,539 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. Even though other top colleges showed interest, he stayed true to his promise to Minnesota.

College Football Career

Rashod started playing for Minnesota as a freshman. He quickly became a starting wide receiver. He set new records for freshmen at Minnesota. He had 51 catches, 704 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.

As a sophomore, Rashod was amazing. He was named a semi-finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. This award goes to the best wide receiver in college football. He was also named first-team All-Big Ten. He caught 57 passes for 1,170 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was even named the Big Ten Conference football individual honors#Richter–Howard Receiver of the Year.

In 2020, Rashod first said he would not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Big Ten conference changed its mind about playing football. So, Rashod rejoined his team for the shorter season.

College Statistics

Professional NFL Career

Rashod Bateman was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2021 NFL draft. He was the 27th player picked overall. This made him the first player from Minnesota to be drafted in the first round since 2006. On May 12, 2021, Rashod signed a contract with the Ravens.

2021 Season: Rookie Year

Rashod started his first NFL season on injured reserve. This was because he had groin surgery. He was able to join the active team on October 16, 2021. In Week 14, he had his first game with over 100 receiving yards. He caught seven passes for 103 yards.

In Week 16, Rashod scored his first NFL touchdown. It was a 4-yard pass from Josh Johnson. He finished his rookie season with 46 catches for 515 yards. He also had one touchdown in 12 games.

2022 Season: Stepping Up

In 2022, Rashod became a full-time starting wide receiver. This happened after his teammate Marquise Brown was traded. In Week 2, he had 108 receiving yards. This included a 75-yard touchdown catch.

The next week, he gained 59 yards on two catches. However, he hurt his foot during this game. This injury caused him to miss the next two games. He returned to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But he left the game early with another foot injury. On November 3, 2022, it was announced he needed foot surgery. This ended his season early. He finished with 15 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns in six games.

2023 Season: A Steady Return

In the 2023 regular season, Rashod caught at least one pass in almost every game. He scored his only touchdown of the season in Week 11. It was a 10-yard catch against the Cincinnati Bengals.

His best game was in Week 17. He caught four passes for 54 yards against the Miami Dolphins. Rashod ended the season with 32 catches for 367 yards and one touchdown. He also had one rush for 18 yards. In the playoffs, he had three catches for 39 yards against the Houston Texans.

2024 Season: A Breakout Year

On April 24, 2024, Rashod signed a new contract. It was a three-year deal worth $15 million. In Week 7 against the Buccaneers, he had a great game. He caught 4 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. This was his third game with over 100 yards.

In Week 15 against the New York Giants, Rashod had 5 catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns. One of these was a 49-yard touchdown! This was his first game with two touchdowns. In Week 18, he had 8 catches for 80 yards and another touchdown. The Ravens won this game and secured their division title.

The 2024 season was a breakout year for Rashod. He set new career highs in yards and touchdowns. He finished with 45 catches for 756 yards and 9 touchdowns.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Postseason