Rashard Mendenhall

Infobox NFLactive
name=Rashard Mendenhall


caption=
currentteam=Pittsburgh Steelers
currentnumber=34
currentposition=Running back
|birthdate=birth date and age|1987|6|19
birthplace=Skokie, Illinois
heightft=5
heightin=10
weight=225
debutyear=2008
debutteam=Pittsburgh Steelers
college=Illinois
draftyear=2008
draftround=1
draftpick=23
pastteams=
* Pittsburgh Steelers (2008-present)
status=Injured Reserve
highlights=
* First-team All-Big Ten (2007)
* Big Ten Offensive P.O.Y. (2007)
statweek=4
statseason=2008
statlabel1=Rushing yards
statvalue1=58
statlabel2=Rushing average
statvalue2=3.1
statlabel3=Rushing TDs
statvalue3=0
nfl=MEN393702

Rashard Jamal Mendenhall (born June 19, 1987 in city-state|Skokie|Illinois) is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois.

Early years

Mendenhall attended Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois. As five-star prospect, he was also rated the No. 1 recruit in the state of Illinois by Scout.com. [cite press release|title=Scout.com |url=http://illinois.scout.com/a.z?s=169&p=8&c=1&nid=1046713 |work=Scout.com |date=2004-12-10 |accessdate=2008-03-15] He recorded 1,300 yards and 21 touchdowns as a sophomore. As a junior, he rushed for 1,832 yards and 19 touchdowns, while averaging 11.6 yards per carry. In his last year, he averaged 9.1 yards per carry, rushing for 1,453 yards on 160 attempts and 14 touchdowns. Following his high school career, Mendenhall played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

College career

Mendenhall played for the University of Illinois football team. His first season was in 2005, during which he rushed for 218 yard on 48 carries, adding 82 yards receiving and two touchdowns. In 2006, Mendenhall nearly tripled his rushing total, gaining 640 yards and scoring five touchdowns. He added 164 yards receiving and a touchdown, with 12 receptions. Throughout his final season with the Illini, Mendenhall rushed for a school record 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns. Throughout the 13 game season, he also had 318 yards receiving and two touchdowns on 34 receptions. He majored in sports management.Fact|date=August 2008

Mendenhall was on the cover of . [youtube|iKyU5yOK_rc|Rashard Mendenhall & Malcolm Kelly on Best Damn Sports Show]

tatistics

Professional career

Quote box
quote =I'm not exactly sure how many yards, but whatever my role is, I plan on having success.
source =— Rashard Mendenhall [cite news |first= Mike|last= Prisuta|title= Mendenhall doesn't have clear-cut role|url= http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_579744.html?source=rss&feed=3|publisher= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2007-07-28|accessdate=2008-08-01]
width =200px
align =Right

Pre-draft

At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on February 24, 2008, Mendenhall ran an unofficial 4.36 forty-yard dash. His run was officially timed at 4.45, which was sixth among all running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine. [ [http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=56664 2008 NFL Draft Scout Profile - The SportsXchange] ] Before the draft, Mendenhall had lunch with Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith. [cite news |title=Top Performers |url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-performers?tabIndex=0 |work=Combine |publisher= NFL.com|date=2008-03-15 |accessdate=2008-03-15]

Pittsburgh Steelers

Mendenhall was drafted 23rd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL Draft.cite news |first= Ed |last= Bouchette|title=Steelers draft RB from Illinois, WR from Texas to protect Big Ben |url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08118/877010-66.stm|work= |publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-04-28|accessdate=2008-04-27 ]

Prior to his rookie season Mendenhall was ranked by ESPN as the 30th best running back in the league. [cite web |url= http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=3424397&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2finsider%2fnews%2fstory%3fid%3d3424397|title= James, Bush headline second tier of running backs|accessdate=2008-06-06 |publisher= ESPN.com|date= 2008-06-04] On July 25, 2008, Mendenhall agreed to a five-year contract worth US$12.55 million with the Steelers, [cite news |first= Ed|last= Bouchette|title= Mendenhall, Sweed sign with Steelers|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08208/899756-66.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-07-26|accessdate=2008-07-26] of which $7.125 million is guaranteed.cite news |first= Joe|last= Mandak|authorlink= Associated Press|title= Steelers sign No. 1 pick to 5-year contract|url= http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-steelers-mendenhall&prov=ap&type=lgns|work= NFL|publisher= Yahoo! Sports|date= 2008-07-25|accessdate=2008-07-27] He is expected to be a compliment to Pro-Bowl running back Willie Parker, [cite news |first= John|last= Harris|title= Expect much from Mendenhall |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_573070.html |publisher= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2008-06-17|accessdate=2008-06-17] in addition to returning kicks. Mendenhall fumbled twice in Pittsburgh's third pre-season game against Minnesota; they were attributed to adjusting to the faster pace of the NFL. [cite news |first= Scott|last= Brown|title= Mendenhall having trouble hanging onto ball|url= http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_584695.html?source=rss&feed=3|publisher= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2008-08-25|accessdate=2008-08-25] Days after the game, teammate Hines Ward placed a ball in Mendenhall's locker with a note stating, "Take Mendenhall's ball away and get $100 from him." Mendenhall was required to carry the ball everywhere he went until the team's next game. [cite news |first= Mike|last= Prisuta|title= Mendenhall gets gripping lessons|url= http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_584853.html?source=rss&feed=9|publisher= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2008-08-26|accessdate=2008-08-26] Mendenhall fumbled once more in the Steelers final pre-season game, [cite news |first= Scott|last= Brown|title= Steelers nip Panthers with last second field goal|url= http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_585465.html|publisher= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2008-08-28|accessdate=2008-08-30] [cite news |first= Ed|last= Bouchette|title= It's a Reed-thin margin again|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08242/907939-66.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-08-29|accessdate=2008-08-30] but worked with running backs coach Kirby Wilson to fix the problem. [cite news |first= Dan|last= Pompei|title= Gripping drama unfolds in AFC North|url= http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-080830-afc-north-rashard-mendenhall-pompei,1,2493749.column?track=rss|publisher= Chicago Tribune|date= 2008-08-30|accessdate=2008-08-31] Mendenhall entered the 2008 regular season as the Steelers' youngest player. He took on return duties in addition to his running back position.cite news |first= Gerry|last= Dulac|title= Mendenhall gets fresh start from Tomlin|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08250/910002-66.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-06|accessdate=2008-09-06] Entering the fourth week of the 2008 season, the Steelers announced that Willie Parker had suffered an injury, allowing Mendenhall to make his first NFL start, a Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens. [cite news |author= Associated Press|authorlink= Associated Press|title= Steelers will be without RB Parker, DT Hampton against rival Ravens|url= http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3604561|publisher= ESPN.com|date= 2008-09-23|accessdate=2008-09-23] Mendenhall would leave the game in the third quarter after a heavy collision with linebacker Ray Lewis; the injury, a fractured shoulder, would require season-ending surgery, ending Mendenhall's brief rookie season. [cite news | first=Ed | last=Bouchette | coauthors= | title=Four Steelers hurt; Mendenhall, Simmons to injured reserve list | date=2008-09-30 | publisher= | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08274/916203-66.stm | work =Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | pages = | accessdate = 2008-09-30 | language = ] Mendenhall finished his rookie season with 59 rushing yards on a 3.1 average and no touchdowns.

Personal

Mendenhall has stated he enjoys reading and writing poetry in his spare time. [cite news |title= Steelers' Mendenhall candid about life, past and present|url= http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_580831.html?source=rss&feed=3|publisher= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|date= 2008-08-03|accessdate=2008-08-04] On May 5, 2008, while walking in Chicago, Mendenhall was robbed at gunpoint. He was not injured. [cite news |title= Steelers new running back Mendenhall robbed at gunpoint|url= http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3382968|work= NFL|publisher= ESPN.com|date= 2008-05-05|accessdate=2008-08-04] In September 2008, Mendenhall became the first athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Champion in ten years. [cite news |first= Gerry|last= Dulac|title= Mendenhall a new Champion|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08256/911635-66.stm?cmpid=sports.xml|work= Steelers Notebook: Roethlisberger limited in practice, should play|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-12|accessdate=2008-09-12]

References

External links

* [http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mendenhall_rashard00.html Illinois Fighting Illini bio]
* [http://news.steelers.com/team/player/88897 Pittsburgh Steelers bio]