 With theHeisman Trophy in1994 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 31, 29 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1974-10-08)October 8, 1974 San Diego, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | December 5, 2016(2016-12-05) (aged 42) Boulder, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | La Jolla Country Day (San Diego) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Colorado (1992–1994) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1995: 1st round, 21st overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Rashaan Iman Salaam (October 8, 1974 – December 5, 2016) was an Americanfootballrunning back. He playedcollege football for theColorado Buffaloes from 1992 to 1994, became the fourth college player to tally more than 2,000rushing yards in a season, and won theHeisman Trophy andDoak Walker Award in 1994. He was picked by theChicago Bears in the first round of the1995 NFL draft, and played professionally in theNational Football League (NFL) for the Bears (1995–1997) and theCleveland Browns (1999). Salaam died by suicide on December 5, 2016.[1]
Born inSan Diego, California,[2] Salaam was the son of formerCincinnati Bengals running back Teddy Washington (later Sulton Salaam, after converting to Islam).[3] A practicingMuslim,[4] he attendedLa Jolla Country Day School in suburban San Diego,[5] and playedeight-man football. He was recognized as a high schoolAll-American, and was later inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame.[6]
Salaam attended theUniversity of Colorado inBoulder, where he played for theBuffaloes from1992 to1994. As a junior in 1994, Salaam had one of the best individual seasons in college football history, rushing for a school-record 2,055 yards and becoming only the fourth college running back to run for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He also amassed 24 touchdowns and helped lead Colorado to an 11–1 record, including a 41–24 win overNotre Dame in theFiesta Bowl, and a No. 3 ranking in the finalAssociated Press poll. The Buffaloes' only loss of the season was toBig Eight ConferencerivalNebraska, which finished undefeated and ranked first in both major polls asnational champions.
Salaam had four consecutive 200-yard rushing games during the season, his best effort coming against theTexas Longhorns, when he set a school record with 362 yards total offense in a 34–31 win atAustin. He was aunanimousAll-American andwinner of theHeisman Trophy in December, beating out running backKi-Jana Carter ofPenn State and quarterbacksSteve McNair ofAlcorn State andKerry Collins of Penn State.[7] Salaam also won theWalter Camp andDoak Walker awards.[8][9][1]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Bench press | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+7⁄8 in (1.85 m) | 228 lb (103 kg) | 32+1⁄8 in (0.82 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 21 reps | ||||||||
| All values fromNFL Combine[10] | ||||||||||||
The Chicago Bears selected Salaam in the first round, with the 21st overall selection, of the1995 NFL draft.[11][12] He played for the Bears from1995 to1997.[2] As a rookie, he rushed for 1,074 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.[11][13] However, he also lost 9 fumbles and averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. Problems with injuries, fumbles, and marijuana use[14] led him to spend only three years with the Bears. During his two final years with Chicago, Salaam mustered only 608 combined yards.[15] The Bears traded Salaam to theMiami Dolphins before the1998 season, but it was undone when Salaam failed a physical examination.[16][1] Salaam spent1999 with theCleveland Browns and theGreen Bay Packers, but only played in two games for the Browns that year.[13]
Salaam briefly played in theXFL for theMemphis Maniax in 2001,[17] but injury cut his season short and the league folded after one season. He finished the year with 528 yards gained.[18]
Salaam launched what appeared to be a final attempt at an NFL career in2002, beginning with a much publicized training at theCris Carter Speed School.[19] He was picked up by theSan Francisco 49ers in2003, but was released in the penultimate round of cuts in August, despite receiving accolades from head coachDennis Erickson.[20]
Salaam was signed by theToronto Argonauts of theCanadian Football League (CFL) on February 20, 2004, but was suspended by the Argos in May, ending his football career.[21]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1995 | CHI | 16 | 11 | 296 | 1,074 | 3.6 | 42 | 10 | 7 | 56 | 8.0 | 18 | 0 |
| 1996 | CHI | 12 | 6 | 143 | 496 | 3.5 | 32 | 3 | 7 | 44 | 6.3 | 11 | 1 |
| 1997 | CHI | 3 | 3 | 31 | 112 | 3.6 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 18 | 0 |
| 1999 | CLE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 33 | 20 | 471 | 1,684 | 3.6 | 42 | 13 | 16 | 120 | 7.5 | 18 | 1 | |
On December 5, 2016, 42-year-old Salaam was found dead in a city park (Eben G. Fine) inBoulder, Colorado. Anautopsy was performed because authorities found a note near the body and were investigating it as a possible suicide.[21][22] Several weeks later on December 29, it was confirmed that the manner of death was suicide, specifically a gunshot wound to the head, in a report released by theBoulder County coroner's office.[23] Salaam'sblood-alcohol content was reportedly three times the legal driving limit and he hadTHC in his system.[24][1]
Salaam's family did not consent to neuropathological tests that would have revealed whether he had previously sustained chronic head trauma, such aschronic traumatic encephalopathy. They declined[25] to have his brain tested to determine whether hisdepression[1] had been linked to such injuries from his days as a player.[26]