Shaun Alexander facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shaun Alexander

Alexander with the Seattle Seahawks in 2006
No. 37
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1977-08-30) August 30, 1977 (age 48) Florence, Kentucky, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:	Boone County (Florence, Kentucky)
College:	Alabama (1996–1999)
NFL Draft:	2000 / Round: 1 / Pick: 19
Career history
Seattle Seahawks (2000–2007) Washington Redskins (2008)
Career highlights and awards
NFL Most Valuable Player (2005) NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2005) 2× First-team All-Pro (2004, 2005) 3× Pro Bowl (2003–2005) Bert Bell Award (2005) NFL rushing yards leader (2005) 2× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (2001, 2005) NFL scoring leader (2005) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Seattle Seahawks 35th Anniversary team Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor First-team All-American (1999) First-team All-SEC (1999) Second-team All-SEC (1998) SEC Player of the Year (1999)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 9,453 Rushing average: 4.3 Rushing touchdowns: 100 Receptions: 215 Receiving yards: 1,520 Receiving touchdowns: 12
Player stats at PFR

Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is a former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Shaun played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins.

He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In 1999, he was named an All-American. The Seahawks chose him as the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. In 2011, Shaun was added to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Shaun Alexander set many NFL and Seahawks team records. He was named the NFL MVP in 2005. He was also part of the NFL's 2000 All-Decade team. He is tied for ninth place all-time in NFL history for rushing touchdowns with 100. Shaun was the first athlete to be on the cover of both the NCAA Football and Madden NFL video games.

Early Life and High School Football

Shaun Alexander grew up in Florence, Kentucky. He attended Florence Elementary and Rector A. Jones Middle School. In 1991, he started at Boone County High School. He was elected Class President every year. Besides football, Shaun was also good at basketball, baseball, and track.

In his second year, Shaun joined the varsity football team. He became the main running back and rushed for 1,095 yards. He also scored 14 touchdowns. In 1993, during his junior year, Shaun ran for 2,396 yards and 42 touchdowns. Boone County reached the state semifinals that year.

In his senior year (1994–1995), Shaun rushed for 3,166 yards. He set a state record with 54 touchdowns. He was named "Mr. Football" for Kentucky. His high school number 37 was retired before he graduated. In three years, Shaun rushed for 6,657 yards and 110 touchdowns. These are among the top records for high school players.

College Football Career

Shaun chose to play for the University of Alabama. He liked the warm weather and the students' excitement. He received a scholarship from coach Gene Stallings in 1995.

In the 1996 season, Shaun set a school record. He rushed for 291 yards and four touchdowns against LSU. He finished that year with 589 rushing yards and six touchdowns. The team had a 10–3 record.

The 1997 season was tough for Shaun and his team. He had 415 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The team only won four games.

The 1998 season was much better. Alabama improved to a 7–5 record. Shaun scored 18 touchdowns (14 rushing, 4 receiving) and gained 1,178 yards. He earned All-Southeast Conference honors.

Shaun decided to stay for his senior year instead of going to the NFL early. In the 1999 season, he helped Alabama win the 1999 SEC Championship Game. They beat #3 Florida 34–7. In a game against Auburn, Shaun led a comeback. He scored three rushing touchdowns and had 199 total yards. He left Alabama holding 15 school records, including 3,565 career rushing yards.

College Statistics

Here are Shaun Alexander's college statistics:

Professional NFL Career

Shaun Alexander was chosen by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2000 NFL draft. He was the 19th player picked overall.

Seattle Seahawks Years (2000–2007)

In his first year (2000), Shaun played a limited role. He rushed for 313 yards and two touchdowns. In 2001, he became the Seahawks' main running back. He rushed for 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns. On November 11, 2001, he set a team record. He rushed for 266 yards against the Oakland Raiders.

In 2002, Shaun started all 16 games. He led the NFC with 16 rushing touchdowns. In one game against the Minnesota Vikings, he scored five touchdowns in the first half. This set an NFL record.

The 2003 season was also very good. Shaun rushed for a career-high 1,435 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. Seattle made the playoffs for the first time since 2000. Shaun earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

In 2004, Shaun continued to be a key player. He finished second in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,696. He was just one yard behind the leader.

MVP Season (2005)

The 2005 season was Shaun Alexander's best. He led the NFL in rushing yards (1,880) and rushing touchdowns (27). He also had two games where he scored four touchdowns.

On November 13, 2005, Shaun became the first running back in NFL history to score 15 or more touchdowns in five years in a row. On November 20, 2005, he set another NFL record. He was the first player to score 19 rushing or receiving touchdowns in just 10 games. He broke the record for most total touchdowns in a season (28). He also tied the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season (27).

On December 11, 2005, Shaun had his ninth 100-yard rushing game. This broke a Seahawks team record. He also set an NFL record by rushing for 100 yards against division rivals in nine straight games.

On January 1, 2006, Shaun set the single-season touchdown record at 28. He also won his first NFL rushing title with 1,880 yards. He became one of only a few running backs to have 20 or more touchdowns in two seasons in a row.

Four days later, on January 5, he won the 2005 NFL MVP Award. He was the first Seahawk to win this award. He also received the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year award.

The Seahawks reached Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shaun was the leading rusher in that game with 95 yards. After this amazing season, Shaun was chosen to be on the cover of Madden NFL 2007.

Later Seahawks Seasons (2006–2007)

In March 2006, Shaun signed a large contract with the Seahawks. However, he broke his left foot in Week 3 of the 2006 season. He returned to play on November 19. On November 27, he carried the ball a team-record 40 times for 201 yards against the Packers. Shaun finished the 2006 season with 896 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games.

In 2007, Shaun hurt his left wrist in Week 1. He continued to play, but his performance was affected. His lead blocker, Mack Strong, also got injured and retired. Shaun then sprained his knee and ankle in Week 9. Despite injuries, he became the eighth player in NFL history to score 100 rushing touchdowns.

Shaun finished the 2007 season with 716 rushing yards and four touchdowns. After a playoff loss in January 2008, the Seahawks decided to release Shaun from the team.

Washington Redskins (2008)

After leaving the Seahawks, Shaun visited several teams. On October 14, 2008, the Washington Redskins signed him. He played in four games for the Redskins. He had only 11 carries for 24 yards. The Redskins released him on November 25, 2008.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are Shaun Alexander's NFL career statistics:

Regular Season Stats

Legacy and Achievements

Shaun Alexander with U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt in 2017

Shaun Alexander is one of only 25 players in NFL history with 100 career touchdowns. He ranks 17th all-time as of 2024. He is also one of only ten players with 100 rushing touchdowns.

In 2016, Shaun Alexander was inducted into The Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Shaun Alexander married Valerie Boyd in April 2002. They have 12 children together. Shaun also has an older brother named Durran. Durran is the executive director of the Shaun Alexander Foundation.

See also

In Spanish: Shaun Alexander para niños