Saleem Rasheed
Saleem Abdul Rasheed (born June 15, 1981 in Birmingham) was a professional football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL) and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
Football career
Rasheed played high school football for Robert Higginbotham at Shades Valley High School where he started all four years there. Rasheed finished his senior year in 1998 with 17 sacks and as the all-time leading tackler in the history of Shades Valley with 513 tackles for his career. Following his senior season, he was named to the Parade High School All-American Football Team, the Gatorade Circle of Champions' Alabama Player of the year and as the top defensive player in the South by SuperPrep Magazine. On January 26, 1999, he signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
At Alabama, Rasheed became the first defensive player of the modern era to start as a true freshman. In his freshman season, Rasheed had 83 tackles including 13 against Tennessee. For his overall performance, Rasheed was named to the SEC All Freshmen Team and as the Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. In his sophomore season, he had 81 tackles and was named Second Team All-SEC. In his final season at Alabama, Rasheed led the team with 115 tackles, served as a team captain and was selected to both the First Team All-SEC and the Academic All-SEC Team. On January 10, 2002, he decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2002 NFL Draft. In 2010, Rasheed was named to the Alabama Team of the Decade for 2000-2010.
Rasheed was drafted with the 69th pick during the 3rd round in the 2002 NFL Draft. He signed a three-year contract with the 49ers on July 21, 2002 for $905,000 plus a $538,000 signing bonus. He was resigned to a one-year contract in 2005. Playing in 45 and starting in four games as a 49ers, Rasheed recorded 54 total tackles during his career there.
In the 2006 offseason, Rasheed signed as a free agent with the Houston Texans. He was subsequently cut by the team on August 28 prior to the season beginning. After taking the year off due to knee injuries, Rasheed reentered professional football when he was selected as a protected player by Team Alabama of the All American Football League (AAFL) in January 2008.
With the uncertainty surrounding the AAFL, Rasheed signed with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders on May 6, 2008. Playing in only nine games due to injury, Rasheed registered 28 tackles and helped lead the team to the 96th Grey Cup Championship. As a result of his injuries, Rasheed was released from the Stampeders on May 4, 2009.
Later life
After leaving the Stampeders, Rasheed taught a business course at Erwin High School, which was renamed Center Point High School in 2011. In March 2012 he pleaded guilty to collecting unemployment insurance while he was employed by Jefferson County Schools, and also to falsely claiming to be married to a woman to assist her immigration to the United States. Rasheed also taught at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham and allegedly engaged in sexual relations with two students there. He was arrested in April 2012.
References
- Jones, Randy (January 22, 1999) "Area prep players make Parade team." p. 6D Birmingham News
- Hurt, Cecil (January 27, 1999) "Rasheed chooses the Tide." p.C1 The Tuscaloosa News
- Hurt, Cecil (January 11, 2002) "Rasheed says so long." p.B1 The Tuscaloosa News
- Phillips, Roger (July 22, 2002) "Top pick not signed as 49ers camp opens." The Oakland Tribune
- Robertson, Dale (August 2, 2006) "Texans training camp: Roster additions." The Houston Chronicle
- McClain, John (August 29, 2006) "Texans cut Armstrong, 12 others." The Houston Chronicle
- Segrest, Doug (January 21, 2008) "Team Alabama protects Tide's Rasheed, AU's Dede." p. 6C Birmingham News
- Staff Reporters (May 7, 2008) "Stamps sign NFL veteran linebacker Rasheed." p. C5 The Calgary Herald
- Cameron, Allen (May 5, 2009) "Stampeders upgrade at expense of veterans." p. E5 The Calgary Herald
- McNair, Kirk (Jun 21, 2010) "Saleem Rasheed was early star." BamaMag.com
- "Former Alabama player Saleem Rasheed arrested on charges related to sex involving high school students." (April 13, 2012) Birmingham News
External links
- Saleem Rasheed at NFL.com
- Saleem Rasheed at scout.com