 Best in 2009 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 44 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1989-01-30)January 30, 1989 (age 36) Vallejo, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 199 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Salesian(Richmond, California) | ||||||||||||||
| College | California (2007–2009) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2010: 1st round, 30th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Jahvid Andre Best (born January 30, 1989)[1] is an Americantrack and fieldOlympian athlete, and former professionalfootballrunning back. He was selected by theDetroit Lions in the first round of the2010 NFL draft. He playedcollege football for theCalifornia Golden Bears, settingseveral school records, including most all-purpose yards in a single season and most rushing yards in a single game. Best also led the Pac-10 in total rushing yards in 2008. Best competed in the2016 Summer Olympics, representingSaint Lucia in track and field. He later became head football coach of theSaint Mary's College High School Panthers inBerkeley, California, for one season.
Best attendedSalesian High School inRichmond, California, where he played for the Salesian Chieftainshigh school football team. In his junior year in 2005 he had 1,495 rushing yards on 138 attempts with 20 touchdowns as Salesian won theNorth Coast Section championship to conclude a 12–1 season. In his senior year, Best ran for 3,325 yards and 48 touchdowns, both Bay Area single-season records.[1] Salesian once again made it to the NCS finals, but lost in the final game toSt. Patrick-St. Vincent High School ofVallejo.
Considered a four-star recruit byRivals.com,[2] Best was listed as the No. 9 running back in the nation in 2007.[3]
Best ran track as well, participating in theArcadia Invitational in his junior and senior years. As a junior, he won the100 meter dash with a time of 10.36 seconds with an injured foot.[4] At the 2006CIF California State Meet, he finished third in the 200 metres behindBryshon Nellum and Devin Mays. As a senior, he won the Arcadia Invitational200 meter dash with a time of 21.40 seconds.[5] Also during his senior year, Best won the CIF California State Meet 100 meters with a discountedwind assisted (2.4 m/s) time of 10.31,[6] ahead of Charles Saseun andRandall Carroll. In the 200 metres, Best was runner-up (20.65) to Nellum (20.43), both far ahead of the competition. Best finished his senior season with personal bests of 10.31 and 20.65, the 5th and 2nd fastest times in the nation respectively.[7]
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 meters | 10.16 | San Diego, California | April 2, 2016 |
| 200 meters | 20.65 | Sacramento, California | June 2, 2007 |
| 400 meters | 48.70 | Palo Alto, California | March 31, 2007 |
Best ran in the100 meters at the 2016 Olympics in Heat 7 of the first round, losing to eventual (three time) gold medalistUsain Bolt, former silver medalistRichard Thompson,European championJames Dasaolu andworld youth record holderYoshihide Kiryū.
Best received scholarship offers fromArizona,Arizona State, California,Michigan,Notre Dame,Oregon,USC, andWashington among others, before ultimately committing to California in 2006.[8]
As atrue freshman in 2007, Best was the primary backup toJustin Forsett.[9] On only 29 carries, Best had 221 rushing yards, and two touchdowns. Best also caught 13 passes for 174 yards and a receiving touchdown.[10] Best was selected as the team's Most Valuable Freshman as well as the team's J. Scott Duncan Award (Most Valuable Special Teams Player).[11]
Best quickly got the nation's attention in the season opener againstMichigan State on August 30. Best had 111 yards on 24 carries including a touchdown.[12] His breakout game came on September 6 in a 66–3 Cal win againstWashington State, having two touchdown runs of 80 and 86 yards, respectively. Best finished the game with exactly 200 yards and three rushing touchdowns.[13]
Best struggled the following week against Maryland. This was mostly due to California falling behind early, therefore limiting Best's touches, due to a change in game plan by the Bears. Although he returned to form against Colorado State, he dislocated his elbow and would miss the next game against Arizona State.[14] He returned for the Arizona game, and dashed for a 67-yard score that put the Bears ahead in the second quarter.[15] He recorded 140 all purpose yards against the Wildcats.[16]
After two more impressive outings against UCLA and Oregon, where he averaged over six yards per carry, Best was held to only 30 yards against theUSC Trojans. Following a 201-yard rushing game against theStanford Cardinal in the 2008Big Game on 19 carries, Best became the seventh consecutive 1,000 rusher for Cal sinceJeff Tedford became head coach in 2002. During the last game of the regular season versus Washington on December 6, Best became the first Cal player to rush for over 300 yards in a game and ended the regular season as the Pac-10's leading rusher, beating out Oregon State'sJacquizz Rodgers.[17][18]
A 186-yard, two touchdown performance in the2008 Emerald Bowl earned him Offensive MVP honors for the game.[19][20] Best finished the 2008 season with 1,580 rushing yards, an 8.1-yard per carry average, and 15 touchdowns.[21]
On January 15, 2009, Best underwent surgery to tighten a ligament that had been injured when he dislocated his left elbow against Colorado State on September 27, 2008. This was followed up by foot surgery on January 23 to relieve irritation that was caused when Best bruised his foot halfway through the 2008 season. He missed spring football practice as a result.[22] Best was named as the most explosive player in college football byRivals.com in February 2009.[23] In early June Best was able to participate in team summer workouts without pain.[24] Entering his junior year, Best's breakout sophomore year caused early speculation of him being a futureHeisman candidate and top running back prospect.[25]
In Cal's season opener againstMaryland, Best rushed for 137 yards and had two rushing touchdowns in the Bears' 52–13 victory. On September 12 againstEastern Washington, he rushed for 144 yards and one touchdown, and had one 22 yard receiving touchdown. On September 19 againstMinnesota he ran for 131 yards and all of Cal's five touchdowns in the victory, a personal best and a modern school record.[26] He was named Pac-10 Player of the Week andRivals.com National Player of the Week.[27][28] However, the next week Best was held to 55 rushing yards and no touchdowns on 16 carries against theOregon Ducks.[29] The following week, he was held to 48 yards on 15 carries against the #7Trojans, also unable to find the end zone.[30] On October 17, Best recorded both his longest run and longest reception against UCLA in California's 45–26 victory over the Bruins.
Best was injured during the second quarter of Cal's November 7 matchup againstOregon State. In the process of scoring a rushing touchdown, he hurdled a defender into the end zone and was pushed by a second Oregon State defender in mid-air, causing him to land on the back of his head with his helmet coming off. The play resulted in a concussion for Best.[31][32] After a 13-minute game delay, Best was taken off the field on a stretcher to the Highland General Hospital inOakland. This was his second concussion in two weeks, following a mild concussion received the previous week againstArizona State. He was released the next day.[33] and did not play the following week's game againstArizona, although he appeared as an honorary team captain. Best missed the rest of the regular season. On December 16, head coachJeff Tedford announced that Best would not play in the2009 Poinsettia Bowl, stating that "'to get him back in game-ready form I don't feel like that's something that we can get done to have him ready to play.'"[34] Best announced on January 2, 2010, that he was foregoing his senior year and enter the NFL draft.[35]
| Season | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | ||||
| California Golden Bears | |||||||||||||
| 2007 | California | 10 | 0 | 29 | 221 | 7.6 | 64 | 2 | 13 | 74 | 1 | ||
| 2008 | California | 12 | 12 | 194 | 1,580 | 8.1 | 86 | 15 | 27 | 246 | 1 | ||
| 2009 | California | 9 | 9 | 141 | 867 | 6.1 | 93 | 12 | 22 | 213 | 4 | ||
| Career | 31 | 21 | 364 | 2,668 | 7.3 | 93 | 29 | 62 | 533 | 6 | |||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft10+1⁄8 in (1.78 m) | 199 lb (90 kg) | 31+3⁄4 in (0.81 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 4.35 s | 1.51 s | 2.55 s | 4.17 s | 6.75 s | 35.5 in (0.90 m) | 9 ft 5 in (2.87 m) | 18 reps | 24 |
| All values fromNFL Combine[40][41] | ||||||||||||
At theNFL Scouting Combine, Best tied for the sixth fastest overall 40 yard dash time and was the fastest among running backs.[42]
Best was selected in a pick trade from theMinnesota Vikings by theDetroit Lions 30th overall in the2010 NFL draft. Regarding the pick,Lionshead coachJim Schwartz said, "Some people watchadult videos on their computer... I go toYouTube and watch Jahvid Best highlight clips. That’s what getsme aroused."[43] Best signed a five-year, $9.8 million contract with the Lions on July 30.[44]
Best started 9 games, scoring his first career NFL rushing touchdowns in the regular season opener on September 12 against theChicago Bears.[45] His best game of the season came the following week in a 35–32 loss to thePhiladelphia Eagles, where he had 78 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and 154 receiving yards, including a 75-yard touchdown reception.[46] He had more limited production for the rest of the season mainly due to a turf toe injury, with a career-low two rushing yards in Week 11 against theDallas Cowboys, and did not score any further rushing touchdowns, although he had a 53-yard receiving touchdown against theMiami Dolphins in Week 16 during the Lions' four-game winning streak.[47][48] Overall, he appeared in 16 games, of which he started nine. He finished with 171 carries for 555 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns to go along with 58 receptions for 487 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.[49]
Best suffered a concussion on his second carry in the Lions third pre-season game of the season on August 19, a 30–28 win versus theCleveland Browns.[50] OnMonday Night Football on October 10 against theChicago Bears, Best had his first 100-yard game, rushing for 163 yards and a career long 88-yard touchdown run. During the second half of the Lions 25–19 loss toSan Francisco on October 16, Best suffered another concussion,[51] the last game (pre- or regular season) Best played in the NFL. On November 25, Best was placed on IR due to post concussion symptoms.[52]
On November 3, 2012, Best was placed on injured reserve due to continuing post-concussion issues, ending his season without playing in any pre- or regular season games.[53]
In late November 2012, Best had been undergoing cognitive therapy to treat his post-concussive symptoms, hoping to return to the field for the 2013 season.[54][55]
On July 17, 2013, Best was released by the Lions.[56] The numerous concussions he suffered throughout his career prevented him from returning to the field during the 2012 season.[57]
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2010 | DET | 16 | 9 | 171 | 555 | 3.2 | 45 | 4 | 58 | 487 | 8.4 | 75T | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | DET | 6 | 6 | 84 | 390 | 4.6 | 88T | 2 | 27 | 287 | 10.6 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 22 | 15 | 255 | 945 | 3.7 | 88 | 6 | 85 | 774 | 9.1 | 75 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
In May 2015, Best ran a 10.262 wind aided 100 meters in preparation for the 2016USA Track and Field Championships inEugene, Oregon.[58] Best was training for the2016 Summer Olympics, where he representedSaint Lucia, his father's home country.[59] On April 2, 2016, he ran the official qualifying time for the Olympics 10.16 +1.9 at a meet at theUniversity of California, San Diego. On July 16, 2016, Best was named toSaint Lucia's 2016 Olympics Track and Field team, where he competed in the 100 meters. He was the first former NFL player to participate in theSummer Olympic Games.[60]
At the 2016 Olympics, Best ran a 10.39 in his heat of the100 meters and did not advance to the semifinals.[61]
Best joined the Cal Bears coaching staff in January 2014.[62]Saint Mary's College High School hired him as head coach in 2021.[63] Best coached the Saint Mary Panthers to a 3–6 record in 2021 then abruptly quit.[64] He is currently the running backs coach forBishop O'Dowd High School.[65]
Best's name is a combination ofJah and the last syllable of his father's name,David. His father is originally fromSt. Lucia and he has one sister named Laurie who attendedCalifornia State University, Sacramento.[66]
In January 2014, Best sued the NFL and helmet makerRiddell, claiming the league "was aware of the evidence and the risks associated with repetitive traumatic brain injuries ... but deliberately ignored and actively concealed the information."[67] The lawsuit was dismissed in June 2014 without prejudice due to Best's failure toserve the lawsuit.[68]
