Raghib Ismail
Encyclopedia
Raghib Ramadian Ismail is a retired professional American
and Canadian football
player, who played Wide receiver
in both the Canadian Football League
and National Football League
. He played college football
at Notre Dame
. His nickname was "The Rocket".
Ismail recorded two 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the NFL and was a CFL All-Star in 1991, as well as the Most Valuable Player
of the 79th Grey Cup
.
In 2004, CollegeFootballNews.com named Ismail the No. 75 player on its list of the Top 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time.
and attended Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School. He first came to prominence as a receiver for the University of Notre Dame
.
Notre Dame won the College Football National Championship in 1988, placed second in 1989 winning the 1990 Orange Bowl against Colorado
, and again went to the 1991 Orange Bowl
, losing to Colorado 10–9. In that game, he returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown that would have won the game for Notre Dame and stopped Colorado from winning a share of the National Championship, however the play was called back on a clipping penalty sealing the Irish defeat. After the 1990 season, Ismail finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
as the top college football player, losing to Brigham Young University
Quarterback
Ty Detmer
.
During the 1989 regular season game against Michigan
, Ismail returned two kickoffs for touchdown
s, a feat never before accomplished by a Michigan opponent. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated
twice, and received numerous awards, including All-America
n status.
The projected first overall selection in the 1991 NFL Draft
, Ismail decided at the last minute to sign a record contract with the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
starting during their 1991 season
. As a result, he was chosen by the Los Angeles Raiders
with the 100th overall pick in the draft.
, the CFL did not require its teams to respect the NFL Draft
. It would have been difficult to offer him enough money to join the CFL, but Bruce McNall
, who with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky
and actor John Candy
had recently purchased the Toronto Argonauts
, tried. The Argonauts made Ismail a then unheard of offer for a CFL player: $18.2 million over four years. The average value of his full contract, $4.55 million per season, was more than the anticipated 2006
CFL salary cap of $3.8 million per team. The CFL had a salary cap in place since 1991
, but the rules contained an exemption for a "marquee player" who would not count against the cap. Doug Flutie
of the BC Lions
was about to be paid a million dollars under the exemption, but Ismail's contract was more than anything North American football had ever seen, as his yearly salary was then the largest in Canadian
or American football
history.
Ismail joined the Argonauts in time for the 1991 season, and in his first game, returned a kick 73 yards on a reverse with Michael Clemons. Ismail ended his rookie season at the 79th Grey Cup
. He recorded an 87-yard touchdown on a kickoff return and was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
as his Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders
36–21. He came within fifty yards of breaking his teammate Clemons' franchise record for single-season kickoff return yardage, and made the 1991 All-Star team as a wide receiver, finishing runner-up to Jon Volpe
for rookie of the year.
In 1992
Ismail broke Clemons' franchise record for single-season kick return yards. Ismail was unhappy in Canada as the Argonauts slumped to a 6–12 record, missing the playoffs. He was also remembered for his participation in a sideline brawl against the Stampeders where he stomped an opposing player's helmeted face. He later apologized on Speaker's Corner
. With the huge contract around Toronto's neck and McNall facing increasing financial trouble, Ismail left the CFL, and, after the season, signed with the Los Angeles Raiders.
as a rookie
in the National Football League
Ismail recorded 353 yards. The next year
, he recorded 513 yards and five touchdowns. In 1995
he recorded 491 yards.
After 1995, Ismail was traded to the Carolina Panthers
for a fifth-round pick. In 1996
the Panthers, under Head coach
Dom Capers
, finished 12–4, but Ismail recorded a career-low 214 yards, without a single touchdown. In 1997
he recorded 419 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
In 1998
, Ismail recorded 69 receptions for 1,024 yards, two yards short of doubling his previous career high, and eight touchdowns.
Then in 1999
, Ismail signed with the Dallas Cowboys
as a free agent
and wore #81. He recorded a career-high 1,097 yards and six touchdowns. In 2000
, injuries caused by a collision with teammate Dat Nguyen
during training camp limited Ismail to eight games, and he recorded 350 yards. The 2001 season
marked Ismail's last season. Ismail was released by the Cowboys in 2002
, ending his NFL career.
.
In February 2008, Ismail appeared as a Pro in the third season of Spike TV's Pros Vs Joes
.
On March 2010, it was announced that Ismail would a correspondent on Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge, interviewing the contestants about their lives outside of the competition.
He has most recently been coaching in the extreme sports league Slamball
.
and NFL wide receiver Qadry Ismail
, nicknamed "The Missile", and former University of Texas-El Paso and New York Dragons
receiver Sulaiman Ismail
, nicknamed "The Bomb". His father, Ibrahim, died when he was 10; his mother, Fatma, is known as "The Launch Pad" because of her sons' nicknames of Rocket, Missile, and Bomb.
Ismail is now an inspirational speaker, and speaks at churches.
Ismail has been described as a "devout Christian".
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...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player, who played 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...
in both the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. 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 Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. His nickname was "The Rocket".
Ismail recorded two 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the NFL and was a CFL All-Star in 1991, as well as the Most Valuable Player
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award is awarded annually to the player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game.-Grey Cup Most Valuable Player Award winners:...
of the 79th Grey Cup
79th Grey Cup
The 79th Grey Cup was the 1991 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Argonauts defeated the Stampeders 36-21 in an entertaining game....
.
In 2004, CollegeFootballNews.com named Ismail the No. 75 player on its list of the Top 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time.
College
Ismail grew up in Wilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
and attended Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School. He first came to prominence as a receiver for the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
Notre Dame won the College Football National Championship in 1988, placed second in 1989 winning the 1990 Orange Bowl against Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, and again went to the 1991 Orange Bowl
1991 Orange Bowl
The 1991 Orange Bowl was a 1990–1991 college football bowl game that was played on January 1, 1991, for the national championship. The 57th edition of the Orange Bowl featured the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and the Colorado Buffaloes. Colorado came into the game with a 10–1–1 record and #1 AP...
, losing to Colorado 10–9. In that game, he returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown that would have won the game for Notre Dame and stopped Colorado from winning a share of the National Championship, however the play was called back on a clipping penalty sealing the Irish defeat. After the 1990 season, Ismail finished second in the voting for the 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...
as the top college football player, losing to Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
Quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Ty Detmer
Ty Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
.
During the 1989 regular season game against Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
, Ismail returned two kickoffs for touchdown
Touchdown
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, a feat never before accomplished by a Michigan opponent. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
twice, and received numerous awards, including All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n status.
The projected first overall selection in the 1991 NFL Draft
1991 NFL Draft
The 1991 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 21–22, 1991 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan, New York...
, Ismail decided at the last minute to sign a record contract with the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
starting during their 1991 season
1991 CFL season
The 1991 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 38th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 34th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1991:...
. As a result, he was chosen by the Los Angeles 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...
with the 100th overall pick in the draft.
Canadian Football League
Although Ismail's rights were the property of the National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, the CFL did not require its teams to respect the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. It would have been difficult to offer him enough money to join the CFL, but Bruce McNall
Bruce McNall
Bruce Patrick McNall is a former Thoroughbred racehorse owner, and a sports executive who once owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League .McNall claimed to have made his initial fortune as a coin collector, though...
, who with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and actor John Candy
John Candy
John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
had recently purchased the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, tried. The Argonauts made Ismail a then unheard of offer for a CFL player: $18.2 million over four years. The average value of his full contract, $4.55 million per season, was more than the anticipated 2006
2006 CFL season
-2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions...
CFL salary cap of $3.8 million per team. The CFL had a salary cap in place since 1991
1991 CFL season
The 1991 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 38th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 34th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1991:...
, but the rules contained an exemption for a "marquee player" who would not count against the cap. Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
of the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
was about to be paid a million dollars under the exemption, but Ismail's contract was more than anything North American football had ever seen, as his yearly salary was then the largest in Canadian
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
or American football
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...
history.
Ismail joined the Argonauts in time for the 1991 season, and in his first game, returned a kick 73 yards on a reverse with Michael Clemons. Ismail ended his rookie season at the 79th Grey Cup
79th Grey Cup
The 79th Grey Cup was the 1991 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders at Winnipeg Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Argonauts defeated the Stampeders 36-21 in an entertaining game....
. He recorded an 87-yard touchdown on a kickoff return and was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award is awarded annually to the player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game.-Grey Cup Most Valuable Player Award winners:...
as his Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
36–21. He came within fifty yards of breaking his teammate Clemons' franchise record for single-season kickoff return yardage, and made the 1991 All-Star team as a wide receiver, finishing runner-up to Jon Volpe
Jon Volpe
Jon Volpe was a star running back in the Canadian Football League.Volpe took an unusual and inspiring path to football stardom. Coming from a family where his father would leave by the time he was 5 years old, his mother would become an alcoholic and live on the street, and his brother would go to...
for rookie of the year.
In 1992
1992 CFL season
-1992 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Doug Flutie , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Ray Elgaard , Saskatchewan Roughriders*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Willie Pless , Edmonton Eskimos...
Ismail broke Clemons' franchise record for single-season kick return yards. Ismail was unhappy in Canada as the Argonauts slumped to a 6–12 record, missing the playoffs. He was also remembered for his participation in a sideline brawl against the Stampeders where he stomped an opposing player's helmeted face. He later apologized on Speaker's Corner
Speakers' Corner (TV series)
Speakers' Corner was a television series which aired weekly on Citytv and A stations in Canada, featuring numerous unscripted short segments on a variety of topics as recorded by members of the general public such as rants, big-ups, shoutouts, jokes, music performance, etc. After the video was...
. With the huge contract around Toronto's neck and McNall facing increasing financial trouble, Ismail left the CFL, and, after the season, signed with the Los Angeles Raiders.
National Football League
In 19931993 Los Angeles Raiders season
The 1993 Los Angeles Raiders season was the club’s 34th season in the NFL.-Offseason:During the offseason the Raiders signed quarterback Jeff Hostetler from the New York Giants to lead the offense. Joe Kelly a former first round pick of the Bengals was signed to fill the middle lineback slot...
as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Ismail recorded 353 yards. The next year
1994 Los Angeles Raiders season
The 1994 Los Angeles Raiders season was the team's 13th and final season in Los Angeles.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-References:...
, he recorded 513 yards and five touchdowns. In 1995
1995 Oakland Raiders season
The 1995 Oakland Raiders season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record from 1994. The 1995 season was the team's return to Oakland after being in Los Angeles for thirteen years.-Schedule:-Standings:...
he recorded 491 yards.
After 1995, Ismail was traded to 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...
for a fifth-round pick. In 1996
1996 Carolina Panthers season
-Regular season:-Postseason:-Week 2: at New Orleans Saints:Acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars, quarterback Steve Beuerlein did not throw a single pass, instead rushing three times for a net loss of ten yards; Kerry Collins handled the quarterbacking duties, throwing for 171 yards and one pick...
the Panthers, under Head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Dom Capers
Dom Capers
Ernest Dominic "Dom" Capers is an American football coach, the current defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, and the only man to serve two different National Football League expansion teams as their inaugural head coach....
, finished 12–4, but Ismail recorded a career-low 214 yards, without a single touchdown. In 1997
1997 Carolina Panthers season
-Schedule:-References:...
he recorded 419 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
In 1998
1998 Carolina Panthers season
-Schedule:-References:...
, Ismail recorded 69 receptions for 1,024 yards, two yards short of doubling his previous career high, and eight touchdowns.
Then in 1999
1999 Dallas Cowboys season
-Regular season:The season would begin at Washington with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the hated division rival Washington Redskins. After trailing by three touchdowns in the second half, free agent acquisition Rocket Ismail would pay immediate dividends for the team by hauling in the...
, Ismail signed with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
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....
and wore #81. He recorded a career-high 1,097 yards and six touchdowns. In 2000
2000 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2000 Dallas Cowboys season would mark their 41st in the NFL and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would promote the team's long-time defensive coordinator, Dave Campo to be the fifth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.-Offseason:...
, injuries caused by a collision with teammate Dat Nguyen
Dat Nguyen
Dat Tan Nguyen is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League . He was the first Vietnamese American to play in the NFL. He played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1999 to 2005. He played college football at Texas A&M. He was the Cowboys' assistant linebackers coach and...
during training camp limited Ismail to eight games, and he recorded 350 yards. The 2001 season
2001 Dallas Cowboys season
-Regular season:An eventful off-season created a lot buzz but little change in the Cowboys' fortunes. Franchise quarterback Troy Aikman, after suffering a pair of concussions the previous season, was released by the team...
marked Ismail's last season. Ismail was released by the Cowboys in 2002
2002 Dallas Cowboys season
-Offseason:Despite an off-season filled with promise, the season would again prove to be a disaster. Former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator and head coach Bruce Coslet was brought in to run the offense for Dallas. Even though he was dismissed by Cincinnati, his history of high-powered...
, ending his NFL career.
Life after retirement
Ismail has frequently appeared on ESPN "College Game Day." Ismail was also a contestant on Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge on CMTCMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
.
In February 2008, Ismail appeared as a Pro in the third season of Spike TV's Pros Vs Joes
Pros vs Joes
Pros vs. Joes is an American physical reality game show that airs on Spike TV. The show features male amateur contestants matching themselves against professional athletes in a series of athletic feats related to the expertise sport of the Pro they are facing...
.
On March 2010, it was announced that Ismail would a correspondent on Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge, interviewing the contestants about their lives outside of the competition.
He has most recently been coaching in the extreme sports league Slamball
Slamball
Slamball is a form of basketball played with 4 trampolines in front of each net. It is played "full contact" and has boards around the court....
.
Slamball coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | Bouncers Bouncers (slamball team) -History: The Bouncers, Diablos, Slashers, and Steal joined the Rumble and Mob in their first ever season of Slamball in 2002. The Bouncers made the playoffs but were defeated in the 1st round by the Diablos. The next season they finished 3rd in Division Y and failed to make the playoffs... |
2008 | 2 | 10 | .167 | 6th | – | – | Did not qualify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 2 | 10 | .167 | - | 0 | 1 | - | |||
Personal
Ismail is the older brother of former Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and NFL wide receiver Qadry Ismail
Qadry Ismail
Qadry "The Missile" Ismail is a former National Football League wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts in a 10 year career that lasted from 1993 to 2002...
, nicknamed "The Missile", and former University of Texas-El Paso and New York Dragons
New York Dragons
The New York Dragons were an Arena Football League team based in the New York metropolitan area. The team was founded in as the original incarnation of the Iowa Barnstormers, and relocated to New York in . They played in New York until 2008, when the league folded...
receiver Sulaiman Ismail
Sulaiman Ismail
Sulaiman "The Bomb" Ismail is a former professional American Football player, and the younger brother of Raghib "The Rocket" Ismail and Qadry "The Missile" Ismail. He played collegiately as a walk-on at the University of Texas-El Paso in 1995. On February 14, 2001, he signed a three-year contract...
, nicknamed "The Bomb". His father, Ibrahim, died when he was 10; his mother, Fatma, is known as "The Launch Pad" because of her sons' nicknames of Rocket, Missile, and Bomb.
Ismail is now an inspirational speaker, and speaks at churches.
Ismail has been described as a "devout Christian".
External links
- Player page at ESPN.comESPN.comESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
- Official Notre Dame bio