Napoleon Kaufman
Encyclopedia
Napoleon "Nip" Kaufman (born June 7, 1973) is a former American football
player and currently an ordained minister. He is a former NFL running back
, playing for the Oakland Raiders
for the entirety of his professional football career.
Kaufman was born in Kansas City, Missouri
and grew up in Lompoc, California
which is located 35 miles north of Santa Barbara
. He was one of the greatest high school running backs in California prep history at Lompoc High School
. As a senior in 1990, at 5-9, 170, with 4.3 speed in 40 yards, he was named the Cal Hi Sports' California high school football player of the year, after he rushed for 1,960 yards and 28 TDs, despite injuries during the season, leading his team to a 13-1 record and CIF championship. He was also named to the USA Today first team All-American team. As a junior in 1989, he had an even better season, when he was named to the Southern Section All-CIF and All-State first team, compiling 2,954 all purpose yards and 39 TDs, averaging an incredible 70 yards on kickoff returns. He was also a track
star. As a junior, he was the CIF California State Champion
in both 100 (10.57) and 200 meters (21.15) He also was an outstanding long jumper with a best of over 24 feet. As a 135 pound soph in 1988, he rushed for 1,008 yards in leading Lompoc to the Southern Section divisional semifinals. In his high school career, he rushed for 5,151 yards and 86 TDs. After his high school career, he chose the University of Washington
over USC, Colorado
, and Arizona
.
In 1991, as a true freshman at Washington, he was a first team kick returner in helping the Huskies win the college football national championship. He was one of the most electrifying running backs in Pac 10 and college football history, with tremendous acceleration. More famously, he was a critical player in the 1994 "Whammy In Miami" game between the Huskies and the University of Miami
at the Orange Bowl
, where the Huskies ended Miami's 58-game home winning streak which dated back to 1985. He is still the school's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,106), rushing attempts (735), 200 yard games (4), rushing touchdowns (34), tied with Hugh McElhenny
for most rushing yards per game (89.3) and most rushes for 50+ yards (6). In a game against UCLA in 1994 he set the school's record for longest non-scoring rush with 79 yards. He would have 2 more rushes that season which went 50+ yards. He rushed for 1,045 yards in his soph season in 1992, 1,299 yards in his junior season in 1993, and 1,390 yards as a senior in 1994. Along with Chris Polk
, he is one of only two running backs for the Huskies to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. He was named to the All-Pac 10 team in 1992, 1993, and 1994. In 1994, he was a second team All-American. Halfway through his senior season, he had rushed for almost 1,000 yards and was a leading Heisman Trophy
Candidate, but a turf toe injury in the latter half of the season substantially affected his performance and caused him to miss one game and most of another.
After being drafted in the 1st round of the 1995 NFL Draft
by the Oakland Raiders
, Kaufman also enjoyed a 6 year NFL career, amassing 4792 yard
s rushing
with an impressive 4.90 yards per carry. Splitting time with Tyrone Wheatley
in the latter part of his career, Kaufman was the Raiders' only primary back in 1997
and 1998
, when he rushed for 1,294 and 921 yards in those two seasons along with 65 total receptions
.
Kaufman retired abruptly at the end of the 2000 NFL season
to pursue a career as a Christian
minister. Today he is the senior pastor
at The Well Christian Community Church in Dublin, California
. He has three sons and has been married for 10 years. He also coaches a team in the PJFL league, which his son is playing for.
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...
player and currently an ordained minister. He is a former NFL 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...
, playing for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the entirety of his professional football career.
Kaufman was born in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
and grew up in Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
which is located 35 miles north of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. He was one of the greatest high school running backs in California prep history at Lompoc High School
Lompoc High School
Lompoc High School is the public high school serving Lompoc, in northern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was first established in the small farming community in 1892...
. As a senior in 1990, at 5-9, 170, with 4.3 speed in 40 yards, he was named the Cal Hi Sports' California high school football player of the year, after he rushed for 1,960 yards and 28 TDs, despite injuries during the season, leading his team to a 13-1 record and CIF championship. He was also named to the USA Today first team All-American team. As a junior in 1989, he had an even better season, when he was named to the Southern Section All-CIF and All-State first team, compiling 2,954 all purpose yards and 39 TDs, averaging an incredible 70 yards on kickoff returns. He was also a 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...
star. As a junior, he was the CIF California State Champion
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
in both 100 (10.57) and 200 meters (21.15) He also was an outstanding long jumper with a best of over 24 feet. As a 135 pound soph in 1988, he rushed for 1,008 yards in leading Lompoc to the Southern Section divisional semifinals. In his high school career, he rushed for 5,151 yards and 86 TDs. After his high school career, he chose the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
over USC, Colorado
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
, and Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
.
In 1991, as a true freshman at Washington, he was a first team kick returner in helping the Huskies win the college football national championship. He was one of the most electrifying running backs in Pac 10 and college football history, with tremendous acceleration. More famously, he was a critical player in the 1994 "Whammy In Miami" game between the Huskies and the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
at the Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
, where the Huskies ended Miami's 58-game home winning streak which dated back to 1985. He is still the school's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,106), rushing attempts (735), 200 yard games (4), rushing touchdowns (34), tied with Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny
Hugh Edward McElhenny is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played from 1952–1964, for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions. He was noted for his explosive, elusive running style and was frequently called "The...
for most rushing yards per game (89.3) and most rushes for 50+ yards (6). In a game against UCLA in 1994 he set the school's record for longest non-scoring rush with 79 yards. He would have 2 more rushes that season which went 50+ yards. He rushed for 1,045 yards in his soph season in 1992, 1,299 yards in his junior season in 1993, and 1,390 yards as a senior in 1994. Along with Chris Polk
Chris Polk
Chris Polk is an American football running back who plays for the Washington Huskies. He is considered a top running back prospect for the 2012 NFL Draft.-High school:...
, he is one of only two running backs for the Huskies to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. He was named to the All-Pac 10 team in 1992, 1993, and 1994. In 1994, he was a second team All-American. Halfway through his senior season, he had rushed for almost 1,000 yards and was a leading Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
Candidate, but a turf toe injury in the latter half of the season substantially affected his performance and caused him to miss one game and most of another.
After being drafted in the 1st round of the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 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 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Kaufman also enjoyed a 6 year NFL career, amassing 4792 yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
s rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
with an impressive 4.90 yards per carry. Splitting time with Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Wheatley
Tyrone Anthony Wheatley is the running backs coach at Syracuse University and a former professional American football player who played 10 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most successful high school and collegiate athletes in Metropolitan Detroit history...
in the latter part of his career, Kaufman was the Raiders' only primary back in 1997
1997 NFL season
The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
and 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
, when he rushed for 1,294 and 921 yards in those two seasons along with 65 total receptions
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
.
Kaufman retired abruptly at the end of the 2000 NFL season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
to pursue a career as a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
minister. Today he is the senior pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at The Well Christian Community Church in Dublin, California
Dublin, California
Dublin is a suburban city of the East Bay region of Alameda County, California, United States. Located along the north side of Interstate 580 at the intersection with Interstate 680, roughly east of Hayward, west of Livermore and north of San Jose, it was named after the city of Dublin in...
. He has three sons and has been married for 10 years. He also coaches a team in the PJFL league, which his son is playing for.