Rashard Mendenhall is a former professional football player who was a running back for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
He won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals, for whom he later played one season. After his career, he became a writer for the television series Ballers, writing 30 episodes of the series. In this article, we will explore Mendenhall’s ethnicity, origin, religion, age, height, family, and other aspects of his life and career.
Ethnicity and Origin
Rashard Mendenhall was born on June 19, 1987 (Age: 36 years; as of 2023) in Skokie, Illinois, United States. He is of African-American descent and has a mixed heritage. His father, Walter Mendenhall Jr., is a former college football player and coach who played for the University of Illinois and Western Illinois University. His mother, Sybil Mendenhall, is a teacher and a poet who has published several books of poetry.
His parents divorced when he was young and his mother raised him along with his older brother, Walter Mendenhall III, who also played college football for the University of Illinois and briefly in the NFL.
Rashard grew up in a diverse and multicultural environment, as Skokie is known for its large Jewish population and its history of welcoming immigrants and refugees from various countries. He attended Niles West High School and Lincoln Jr. High School in Skokie, where he excelled in both academics and athletics. He was a five-star recruit and the best recruit in the state of Illinois by Scout.com. He also played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a showcase of the nation’s top high school football players.
Rashard Mendenhall BIO/Wiki
| Name | Rashard Mendenhall |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | June 19, 1987 |
| Birth Place | Skokie, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Position | Running back |
| College | Illinois (2005–2007) |
| NFL Draft | 2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23 |
| NFL Teams | Pittsburgh Steelers (2008–2012), Arizona Cardinals (2013) |
| NFL Stats | Rushing attempts: 1,081, Rushing yards: 4,236, Rushing touchdowns: 37, Receptions: 95, Receiving yards: 795, Receiving touchdowns: 2 |
| NFL Awards | Super Bowl champion (XLIII), First-team All-American (2007), Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2007), First-team All-Big Ten (2007) |
| Current Occupation | TV writer and producer |
| TV Shows | Ballers (2015–2019), The Kominsky Method (2019) |
Religion
Mendenhall is a Muslim and has been open about his faith and spirituality. He converted to Islam when he was in college after being introduced to the religion by his teammate and friend, J Leman. He said that Islam gave him a sense of peace and purpose and helped him cope with the pressures and challenges of being a professional athlete. He also said that Islam taught him to be humble, grateful, and compassionate.
Rashard has faced some criticism and controversy for his religious views and expressions. In 2010, he was fined by the NFL for violating the league’s uniform policy by writing the word “Allah” on his eye black, a substance that players use to reduce glare from the sun. He said that he did not mean to offend anyone and that he was just expressing his faith.
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In 2011, he was criticized by some fans and media for his tweets about the death of Osama bin Laden, in which he questioned the celebration of violence and the validity of the official narrative. He later clarified that he was not defending bin Laden or condoning terrorism, but rather expressing his opinions and seeking the truth.
Age
Rashard Mendenhall is 36 years old as of 2023. He was born on June 19, 1987. He is 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall and weighs 225 pounds (102 kg).
Height, Weight
| Height | Weight | Arms | Hands | 40-yard dash | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | 225 lb (102 kg) | 31 1/2 in (80 cm) | 9 1/4 in (23 cm) | 4.45 s | 33 1/2 in (85 cm) | 9 ft 9 in (297 cm) | 26 reps |
Family
Rashard has a close and supportive family. His mother, Sybil Mendenhall, is his biggest inspiration and influence. She raised him and his brother as a single parent and encouraged them to pursue their dreams and passions. She is also a talented and accomplished poet who has published several books of poetry, such as “The Sound of My Own Voice” and “A Mother’s Love”. She often writes poems about her sons and their experiences. She is also a teacher who works with students with special needs.
Rashard Mendenhall’s brother, Walter Mendenhall III, is also a former football player who followed in his father’s footsteps. He played college football for the University of Illinois and briefly in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Indianapolis Colts. He also played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Toronto Argonauts and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He retired from football in 2012 and became a motivational speaker and a life coach.
Wife, Son & Daughter
Rashard Mendenhall is married to Sandra Mendenhall and has children. He has not revealed much about his personal life or his dating history. He prefers to keep his private life away from the public eye and focus on his career and his hobbies.
Career
Rashard had a successful and impressive career as a football player. He played college football for the University of Illinois from 2005 to 2007, where he set several school records and earned many honors and awards. He rushed for a school-record 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns in his junior year, leading the Illini to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1983. He was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a First-team All-American in 2007. He decided to forgo his senior year and enter the 2008 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, with the 23rd overall pick.
Mendenhall played for the Steelers from 2008 to 2012, where he was a key member of the team’s offense and a fan favorite. He helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII in his rookie season, scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals. He became the team’s starting running back in 2009 and had three consecutive seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing and at least seven touchdowns.
He also had two 100-yard rushing games in the playoffs, including a career-high 121 yards in the 2010 AFC Championship Game against the New York Jets. He suffered a torn ACL in the last game of the 2011 season, which limited his production and availability in 2012. He left the Steelers as a free agent after the 2012 season, having rushed for 4,236 yards and 37 touchdowns in his five seasons with the team.
Rashard Mendenhall signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013, reuniting with his former offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians. He played in 15 games for the Cardinals, starting in 13 of them. He rushed for 687 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the team in both categories. He also caught 18 passes for 134 yards. He helped the Cardinals finish with a 10-6 record, but they missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker. He retired from the NFL after the 2013 season, at the age of 26, saying that he did not want to play football anymore and that he wanted to travel the world and write.
Mendenhall pursued his passion for writing after he retires from football. He enrolled in the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting and learned the craft of writing scripts for television and film. He also wrote a blog for the Huffington Post, where he shared his thoughts and insights on various topics, such as sports, culture, politics, and spirituality. He landed his first job as a writer for the HBO comedy-drama series Ballers, which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a former NFL player turned financial manager.
He wrote 30 episodes of the series, which ran for five seasons from 2015 to 2019. He also served as a story editor and a producer for the show. He received positive reviews and praise for his writing, especially for his authentic and realistic portrayal of the lives and challenges of professional athletes. He also wrote an episode of the Netflix comedy series The Kominsky Method, which starred Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin as aging actors in Hollywood.
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Rashard is currently working on his projects as a writer and a producer. He has not revealed much about his plans, but he has expressed his interest and enthusiasm for creating original and diverse stories that reflect his vision and voice. He has also said that he is open to returning to football as a coach or a commentator if the opportunity arises.
Rashard Mendenhall is a former NFL star who became a TV writer after his retirement from football. He is of African-American descent and has a mixed heritage. He is a Muslim and has been vocal about his faith and opinions. He is 36 years old and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He has a close and supportive family, including his mother, who is a poet and a teacher, and his brother, who is also a former football player. He had a successful and impressive career as a football player, playing for the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Arizona Cardinals.
He won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers and rushed for over 4,000 yards and 45 touchdowns in his six seasons in the NFL. He retired from football at the age of 26 and pursued his passion for writing. He wrote 30 episodes of the HBO series Ballers and an episode of the Netflix series The Kominsky Method. He is currently working on his own projects as a writer and producer.
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