Tim Biakabutuka facts for kids
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 24, 1974 Kinshasa, Republic of Zaire |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Jacques-Rousseau (QC) Vanier College |
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| College: | Michigan (1993–1995) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8 | ||||||||||||
| CFL draft: | 1996 / Round: 6 / Pick: 46 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Tshimanga "Tim" Biakabutuka (born January 24, 1974) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1993 to 1995. The Carolina Panthers picked him eighth overall in the 1996 NFL draft.
Tim holds the Michigan Wolverines single-season rushing record. He ran for 1,818 yards in 1995. He was also the first person from Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to play in the National Football League (NFL).
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Early Life and Football Start
Tim Biakabutuka moved from Zaire to Canada with his family when he was four. They settled in Montreal, where his family still lives. He didn't start playing gridiron football until his high school in Longueuil created a team.
After high school, he went to Vanier College. His amazing football skills there earned him the nickname "Touchdown Tim." This also helped him get a scholarship to play college football at the University of Michigan.
College Football Career Highlights
Tim joined the University of Michigan in 1993. He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team until 1995.
Freshman and Sophomore Years
In 1993, as a freshman, Tim was a backup player. But he played a lot in one game against Purdue. He ran for 140 yards and scored two touchdowns.
As a sophomore, he was still a backup. Even so, he rushed for 783 yards. He had four games where he ran for over 100 yards.
Record-Breaking Season in 1995
In 1995, Tim became the main running back for the Wolverines. That year, he broke the team's single-season rushing record. He ran for a total of 1,818 yards!
On November 25, 1995, he had an incredible game against Ohio State. He ran for 313 yards, helping his team win 31–23. This was the second-highest single-game rushing performance in Michigan's history.
Professional NFL Career
The Carolina Panthers chose Tim in the first round of the 1996 NFL draft. He was the eighth player picked overall.
During his time in the NFL, Tim often dealt with injuries. He never played more than 12 games in a single season. He played in 51 games over six seasons, from 1996 to 2001. He started 35 of those games.
Overall, he ran for 2,530 yards and caught passes for 789 yards. He scored 17 touchdowns during his career. As a Panther, he was the first running back to have two touchdown runs of 60 yards or more in one game.
NFL Career Statistics
Here's a look at Tim's stats during his NFL career:
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1996 | CAR | 4 | 4 | 71 | 229 | 3.2 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | CAR | 8 | 2 | 75 | 299 | 4.0 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | CAR | 10 | 3 | 101 | 427 | 4.2 | 41 | 3 | 8 | 138 | 17.3 | 42 | 1 |
| 1999 | CAR | 11 | 11 | 138 | 718 | 5.2 | 67 | 6 | 23 | 189 | 8.2 | 32 | 0 |
| 2000 | CAR | 12 | 11 | 173 | 627 | 3.6 | 43 | 2 | 34 | 341 | 10.0 | 25 | 2 |
| 2001 | CAR | 5 | 4 | 53 | 230 | 4.3 | 27 | 1 | 12 | 121 | 10.1 | 47 | 0 |
| Career Totals | 50 | 35 | 611 | 2,530 | 4.1 | 67 | 14 | 77 | 789 | 10.2 | 47 | 3 | |
Life After Football
Tim Biakabutuka now lives in Matthews, North Carolina. He owns eight Bojangles restaurants in Augusta, Georgia.
He has several cousins who also played American or Canadian football. His nephew, Jérémie Biakabutuka, plays hockey in the QMJHL.
See also
- Lists of Michigan Wolverines football rushing leaders
- List of Montreal athletes
- List of famous Montrealers
