Az-Zahir Hakim
Encyclopedia
Az-Zahir Ali Hakim is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Rams
in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at San Diego State
.
He has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
, New Orleans Saints
, San Diego Chargers
, Miami Dolphins
, and Las Vegas Locomotives
.
He is a Muslim
.
in Los Angeles, where he also played basketball
and ran track
.
s. He caught 36 passes as a junior for 635 yards and five touchdowns. He was an All-Western Athletic Conference
second-team selection as a sophomore after he started 12 games and was fourth in conference with career-high 57 receptions for 1,022 yards (17.9 avg.) and eight touchdowns.
in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
. He appeared in nine games including four starts during his rookie season, catching 20 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. He collected three receptions in first career game at the Chicago Bears
on November 8, 1998. He made his first start against the Carolina Panthers
two weeks later, making two receptions for 25 yards. He scored two touchdowns (nine-yard touchdown reception, 34-yard run on reverse for a touchdown) in victory over the New England Patriots
on December 13.
ring after the Rams beat the Tennessee Titans
in Super Bowl XXXIV
. During the regular season, Hakim appeared in 15 games and caught 39 passes for 677 yards and eight touchdowns. His touchdown total was second on the team behind only Isaac Bruce
's 12, while Hakim's 18.8 average also remains a personal best. Hakim also added his first punt return touchdown on the season.
Hakim had the best game of his career against the Cincinnati Bengals
on October 3, becoming only the fourth player in team history to score four touchdowns in a game. The feat tied the mark previous reached by Bob Shaw, (1949) Elroy Hirsch
(1951) and Harold Jackson (1973). His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown tied for the fifth longest in team history and was the third longest in the league during the 1999 season. He also set the team record for punt return yards in a game with 147. All three of his receptions went for touchdowns (9, 51, 18), and he became the first Rams’ player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since December 15, 1996 when Eddie Kennison
accomplished the feat against the Atlanta Falcons
.
In addition to his career game, Hakim also posted his first 100-yard receiving game against the Carolina Panthers on December 5. Hakim's four receptions, 122 yards and two scores helped St. Louis clinch the division that day.
The best game of the season for Hakim came in the regular season opener against the Denver Broncos
on September 4. During the game, Hakim racked up five catches, 116 yards and two touchdowns. He set a career best with an 80-yard touchdown grab, and also took a punt 86 yards for a score. Hakim was one of three Rams players to surpass 100 yards on offense during the game (wide receiver Torry Holt
and running back
Marshall Faulk
being the others), marking just the second time in franchise history the feat had been accomplished.
Other highlights on the season for Hakim include a November 5 contest against the Panthers when he had eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown, as well as a 65-yard punt return in the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the New Orleans Saints
on December 30. That game also featured a lowlight for Hakim, as he muffed a Saints' punt in the closing minute, allowing the Saints to retain possession and run out the clock, killing what was nearly an impressive Rams comeback.
In late September, Hakim joined Henry Ellard
, LeRoy Irvin
an Eddie Kennison as the only Rams players to amass more than 1,000 career punt return yards. He passed Kennison to move into third place all-time the following month.
Also during the season, Hakim completed his first career pass with a 51-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce. Hakim also had 90 receiving yards and five rushing yards in a Super Bowl XXXVI
loss to the New England Patriots.
as a free agent
in 2002 and proceeded to have a rebound season in terms of receiving yards and in the punt return game. He started all 10 games in which he appeared during the season, catching 37 passes for 541 yards and three touchdowns. He also posted a 14.8 punt return average and had his third career return touchdown.
It did not take long for Hakim to make a splash with his new team, as he holds the honor of scoring the first touchdown at Ford Field
following the team's move from the Pontiac Silverdome
. Other season highlights include a career-high nine receptions against the Miami Dolphins and seven catches for 143 yards against and a score on the first offensive play of the game against the Green Bay Packers.
Hakim suffered a hip injury on a shuffle pass against the New York Jets
on November 17. He would miss the rest of the season due to the injury, and was the team's leading receiver when he was placed on Injured Reserve on November 10.
Highlights from the season include a 21-yard pass to fellow wideout Charles Rogers (the second pass and completion of his career), a two-point conversion on a pass from Joey Harrington
against the Chicago Bears, and a crucial 18-yard catch on a game winning drive in another contest against the Bears. He had 19 catches over a three-game span during the year, which was the most ever for him in that amount. However, his best game of the season came against his former team, as he totaled 101 yards on offense and scored a touchdown against the Rams.
Early in the season against the Houston Texans
, Hakim eclipsed the 3,000-yard receiving mark for his career. In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, he and Roy Williams
became the first Lions duo to each reach 100 receiving yards in the same game in nearly five years.
. The move would have reunited him with former Rams head coach Dick Vermeil
. However, some provisions in the contracts caused the league to void the deal, and Hakim and Vermeil decided it would be best if he did not join the team. Hakim signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints on June 19.
During the season, Hakim was the team's third best receiver and finished with 34 catches for 489 yards and two touchdowns. He set a career high with nine kickoff returns, while his punt return average was the lowest of his career at just 7.6 yards.
in charge. Not all was unfamiliar to Hakim, however, as this time around with the Lions he would be working with former Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz
, who was now the offensive coordinator in Detroit.
Hakim's second tenure with the Lions was not nearly as productive or long as the first. In six games with the team, he caught just 17 passes for 147 yards. He was eventually released on October 30, and remained unsigned until joining the San Diego Chargers
on December 14 after wide receiver Malcolm Floyd was placed on Injured Reserve. Hakim was inactive for all three games as a Charger, resulting in the first season of his professional career in which he did not score a touchdown.
, who was offensive coordinator in San Diego the previous season.
. He also decided to start his own burger establishment called "Quickies" located in the Tempe area.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at San Diego State
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
.
He has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
.
He is a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
High school career
Hakim was an All-City selection as a quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back at Fairfax High SchoolFairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles, where he also played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and ran track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
.
College career
Hakim was a four-year letterman in football at San Diego State where he started eight games as a senior and caught 37 passes for 595 yards (16.1 avg.) and six touchdownTouchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. He caught 36 passes as a junior for 635 yards and five touchdowns. He was an All-Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
second-team selection as a sophomore after he started 12 games and was fourth in conference with career-high 57 receptions for 1,022 yards (17.9 avg.) and eight touchdowns.
1998
Hakim was drafted by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in the fourth round (96th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
. He appeared in nine games including four starts during his rookie season, catching 20 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. He collected three receptions in first career game at the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 8, 1998. He made his first start against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
two weeks later, making two receptions for 25 yards. He scored two touchdowns (nine-yard touchdown reception, 34-yard run on reverse for a touchdown) in victory over the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on December 13.
1999
1999 was quite possibly Hakim's best career season. He would also earn a Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
ring after the Rams beat the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
. During the regular season, Hakim appeared in 15 games and caught 39 passes for 677 yards and eight touchdowns. His touchdown total was second on the team behind only Isaac Bruce
Isaac Bruce
Isaac Isidore Bruce is a retired American football wide receiver. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Memphis....
's 12, while Hakim's 18.8 average also remains a personal best. Hakim also added his first punt return touchdown on the season.
Hakim had the best game of his career against the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on October 3, becoming only the fourth player in team history to score four touchdowns in a game. The feat tied the mark previous reached by Bob Shaw, (1949) Elroy Hirsch
Elroy Hirsch
Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch was an American football running back and receiver for the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Rockets, nicknamed for his unusual running style.-Early life:...
(1951) and Harold Jackson (1973). His 84-yard punt return for a touchdown tied for the fifth longest in team history and was the third longest in the league during the 1999 season. He also set the team record for punt return yards in a game with 147. All three of his receptions went for touchdowns (9, 51, 18), and he became the first Rams’ player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since December 15, 1996 when Eddie Kennison
Eddie Kennison
Edward Joseph "Eddie" Kennison, III is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams 18th overall in the 1996 NFL Draft...
accomplished the feat against the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In addition to his career game, Hakim also posted his first 100-yard receiving game against the Carolina Panthers on December 5. Hakim's four receptions, 122 yards and two scores helped St. Louis clinch the division that day.
2000
Hakim continued his impressive production in 2000, setting career highs in multiple statistical categories. His 53 catches, 734 yards, long reception of 80 yards and 32 receptions for first downs remain personal bests. His four touchdowns on the year also represent the second-best total of his career. On special teams, Hakim's 15.8 punt return average led the NFC and was second in the NFL. He also returned his second punt for a score during the season.The best game of the season for Hakim came in the regular season opener against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 4. During the game, Hakim racked up five catches, 116 yards and two touchdowns. He set a career best with an 80-yard touchdown grab, and also took a punt 86 yards for a score. Hakim was one of three Rams players to surpass 100 yards on offense during the game (wide receiver Torry Holt
Torry Holt
After injuring his knee at the Senior Bowl, Holt, at 192 pounds, ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump of 37 inches at the 1999 NFL Combine-St. Louis Rams:...
and running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
being the others), marking just the second time in franchise history the feat had been accomplished.
Other highlights on the season for Hakim include a November 5 contest against the Panthers when he had eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown, as well as a 65-yard punt return in the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
on December 30. That game also featured a lowlight for Hakim, as he muffed a Saints' punt in the closing minute, allowing the Saints to retain possession and run out the clock, killing what was nearly an impressive Rams comeback.
2001
In what would be his last season as a member of the Rams, Hakim totaled 39 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared in all 16 games for the second straight season and started two of them. His punt return average took a significant dive from the year before, dropping from 15.3 in 2000 to just 9.2 in 2001.In late September, Hakim joined Henry Ellard
Henry Ellard
Henry Austin Ellard is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Los Angeles Rams , Washington Redskins , and the New England Patriots . Ellard qualified for Olympic trials in 1992 with his 54.1 foot triple jump.-High school and college:Ellard attended Hoover High School in...
, LeRoy Irvin
Leroy Irvin
Leroy Irvin was a member of the Los Angeles Rams from 1980 to 1989. He played cornerback. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1985 and 1986. He currently holds the record for most punt return yards in a single game against the Atlanta Falcons in 1981. Irvin is one of only a few players in NFL history...
an Eddie Kennison as the only Rams players to amass more than 1,000 career punt return yards. He passed Kennison to move into third place all-time the following month.
Also during the season, Hakim completed his first career pass with a 51-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce. Hakim also had 90 receiving yards and five rushing yards in a Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
loss to the New England Patriots.
2002
Hakim joined the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in 2002 and proceeded to have a rebound season in terms of receiving yards and in the punt return game. He started all 10 games in which he appeared during the season, catching 37 passes for 541 yards and three touchdowns. He also posted a 14.8 punt return average and had his third career return touchdown.
It did not take long for Hakim to make a splash with his new team, as he holds the honor of scoring the first touchdown at Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
following the team's move from the Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
. Other season highlights include a career-high nine receptions against the Miami Dolphins and seven catches for 143 yards against and a score on the first offensive play of the game against the Green Bay Packers.
Hakim suffered a hip injury on a shuffle pass against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 17. He would miss the rest of the season due to the injury, and was the team's leading receiver when he was placed on Injured Reserve on November 10.
2003
Despite missing the first two games of the 2003 season recovering knee surgery, Hakim went on to start 12 of the 14 games he appeared in and become Detroit's leading receiver during the season. He finished the year with 49 catches for 449 yards and four touchdowns.Highlights from the season include a 21-yard pass to fellow wideout Charles Rogers (the second pass and completion of his career), a two-point conversion on a pass from Joey Harrington
Joey Harrington
John Joseph "Joey" Harrington, Jr. is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, where he played for most of his professional career. He ranks third all-time in Detroit history in pass completions, with 986...
against the Chicago Bears, and a crucial 18-yard catch on a game winning drive in another contest against the Bears. He had 19 catches over a three-game span during the year, which was the most ever for him in that amount. However, his best game of the season came against his former team, as he totaled 101 yards on offense and scored a touchdown against the Rams.
2004
In 2004, Hakim finished second on the team in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns despite missing four games due to ankle, back and groin injuries during the season. He finished with 31 receptions for 533 yards and three touchdowns.Early in the season against the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Hakim eclipsed the 3,000-yard receiving mark for his career. In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, he and Roy Williams
Roy Williams (wide receiver)
Roy Eugene Williams, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Chicago Bears. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions seventh overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
became the first Lions duo to each reach 100 receiving yards in the same game in nearly five years.
2005
Hakim was released by the Lions in April 2005. He received interest from multiple teams before and on June 15 it was believed he had signed with the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. The move would have reunited him with former Rams head coach Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
. However, some provisions in the contracts caused the league to void the deal, and Hakim and Vermeil decided it would be best if he did not join the team. Hakim signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Saints on June 19.
During the season, Hakim was the team's third best receiver and finished with 34 catches for 489 yards and two touchdowns. He set a career high with nine kickoff returns, while his punt return average was the lowest of his career at just 7.6 yards.
2006
Despite receiving some interest in the 2006 offseason, Hakim remained unsigned until the regular season began. He signed a one-year deal to return to the Lions in 2006, despite new head coach Rod MarinelliRod Marinelli
Rodney Marinelli is the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Chicago Bears. He is the former head coach of the Detroit Lions...
in charge. Not all was unfamiliar to Hakim, however, as this time around with the Lions he would be working with former Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz
Mike Martz
Michael Martz is a former NFL head coach and currently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's Chicago Bears....
, who was now the offensive coordinator in Detroit.
Hakim's second tenure with the Lions was not nearly as productive or long as the first. In six games with the team, he caught just 17 passes for 147 yards. He was eventually released on October 30, and remained unsigned until joining the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 14 after wide receiver Malcolm Floyd was placed on Injured Reserve. Hakim was inactive for all three games as a Charger, resulting in the first season of his professional career in which he did not score a touchdown.
2007
After his contract expired following the 2006 season, Hakim once again became a free agent. He received little interest on the open market, but on March 22 he signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. The move reunited him with new Dolphins head coach Cam CameronCam Cameron
-External links:...
, who was offensive coordinator in San Diego the previous season.
2009
Hakim signed a contract in the UFL and the Las Vegas LocomotivesLas Vegas Locomotives
The Las Vegas Locomotives are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada who play in the United Football League. The team plays its home games in Sam Boyd Stadium, home field for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Jim Fassel is the franchise's head coach, president, and...
. He also decided to start his own burger establishment called "Quickies" located in the Tempe area.