Muslim Players in the National Football League (NFL)

Muslim sportsmen have not always had the opportunity to make headlines in the United States, but a handful of Muslim players in the nation’s leading football league, the NFL, have performed brilliantly over the course of their careers.

Brothers Hamza and Husain Abdullah are highly regarded safeties in the NFL circuit. They both were raised as Muslims along with 10 other siblings in Pomona, California. Hamza is a safety for the Cleveland Browns, while Husain is a safety for the Minnesota Vikings. The Abdullah brothers have shown a keen interest in tackling misperceptions about Islam through sport. They publicly practice their religion, and Hamza Abdullah has gone as far as saying that religion, by choice, is his first priority – ahead of sports. This was evident when the Abdullah brothers went for Hajj in the middle of the NFL season at the peak of their careers.

Az-Zahir Hakim is another American Muslim who has made it big in the NFL. Born in Los Angeles, California, Hakim is a free agent wide receiver. He had previously been associated with the St. Louis Rams, but he has experience with several other teams including the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Chargers as a free agent. Abdul Hodge, another Muslim NFL player, was affiliated with the Green Bay Packers, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers. His  158 tackles in 2005 is the second best performance in Iowa in a season.

Several National Football League players have actually converted from other religions to Islam during the course of their career or after retirement. Ahmad Rashād, an award-winning sports caster who used to play football in his early days. He was born as Robert Earl Moore, but opted to change his name when he converted to Islam in 1972. Rashād spent most of his playing days with the Minnesota Vikings. Ryan Emerson Wilcox Harris, another convert to Islam, is a current NFL player associated with the Houston Texans. He was also a part of the Denver Broncos, and for a short period of time, the Philadelphia Eagles.

While the total number of Muslims in the NFL since its formation in 1920 remains extremely low, many individuals who practice Islam have made a mark on the league and the sport in general. They have been able to reduce the gap of misunderstanding that exists between Islam in the West, in a small yet significant way.

 

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