Shaun Edward Alexander is a former
American footballAmerican 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...
running backA 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...
who played for the
Seattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and the
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the
2000 NFL DraftThe 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played
college footballCollege 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 the
University of Alabama|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
.
Early career
Alexander was born and raised in
Florence, KentuckyFlorence is a city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,951 at the 2010 census.-History:The Florence area was originally known as Crossroads, because of the convergence of several roads from Burlington and Union at Ridge Road...
. His father, Curtis Alexander Jr., works for
Morton SaltMorton Salt is a United States company producing salt for food, water conditioning, industrial, agricultural, and road/highway use. Based in Chicago, the business is North America's leading producer and marketer of salt. It is a subsidiary of the German company K+S.-History:The company began in...
and his mother Carol works in the truancy department of the
Boone County School DistrictThe Boone County School district, which operates schools in most of Boone County, Kentucky in the Cincinnati metropolitan area, is the third-largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky by student enrollment . As of 2007, the district serves over 17,500 students and employs 2,600 staff...
. He has an older brother Durran, and four older half-sisters and three older half-brothers. His parents divorced when he was 11, and he and Durran were raised by their mother in a two-bedroom apartment in a government housing project.
He attended Florence Elementary School. In 1991, he entered
Boone County High SchoolBoone County High School is located in Florence, Kentucky. The school was opened in 1954. The school mascot is the Rebel.-Sports:In the past years Boone County High School as been known for its athletics. Both men's and women's basketball have shown to be two of the strongest programs in the region...
. As a freshman, he played football for the
junior varsityPrimarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
team and was voted
Class PresidentA class president is usually the leader of a student body class, and presides over its class cabinet or organization within a student council, in a grade school class presidents are generally elected by the class, a constituency composed of all students in a grade level.The practice of electing a...
—as he was every year in high school. As well as football, Alexander excelled in basketball and baseball.
In his sophomore season, he made the varsity team as the second-string running back. By mid-season, he was the team's featured running back as he rushed for 1,095 yards and fourteen touchdowns. During his junior season in 1994, Alexander ran for 2,396 yards and 42 touchdowns as Boone County made it to the state semifinals. In a game versus Campbell County, Alexander rushed for seven touchdowns. He was listed in "Faces in the Crowd" section of
Sports IllustratedSports 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...
in January 1994.
In 1995, in his senior season, Alexander rushed for 3,166 yards and a state record 54 touchdowns and was named
Kentucky's "Mr. Football"The Kentucky Mr. Football Award is an honor given to the top high school football player in the state of Kentucky and in the KHSAA. Awarded by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters from around the state's Associated Press, many past winners have proceeded to have successful college careers and...
. He also was selected All-American by
ParadeParade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
and
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
's 1994 All USA team, named "Old Spice Athlete of the Month" by Sports Illustrated, and was known as "Alexander the Great" and had his high school number 37 retired a few weeks before his graduation. In three varsity seasons, Alexander rushed for 6,657 yards and 110 touchdowns—both of which are Top 10 prep all-time records.
College career
Alexander had narrowed his choices down to
University of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
,
University of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, and
University of Notre DameThe 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...
(where his brother Durran played drums in the marching band). He ultimately chose Alabama because of the warm-weather and the overall students enthusiasm.
Following graduation in 1995, Alexander accepted a
scholarshipA scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
from
Gene StallingsEugene Clifton Stallings, Jr. is a former American football player and coach. He played college football at Texas A&M University , where he was one of the "Junction Boys", and later served as the head coach at his alma mater from 1965 to 1971. Stallings was also the head coach of the St...
, the then head coach for the
Alabama Crimson Tide football|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
team.
Mike DuBoseMike DuBose is a former University of Alabama football player and the current defensive line coach for the Memphis Tigers. DuBose came to Memphis from Millsaps College, where he was the Majors' head coach from 2006 to 2009. He resurrected the school's struggling football program by winning...
would replace Stallings in 1997. In his freshman season on campus, Alexander was
redshirtRedshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed.
In 1996, as a redshirt freshman, Alexander rushed for a school-record 291 yards and four touchdowns in a 26–0 victory over rivals
LSUThe LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
at
Tiger StadiumTiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is best known as the home stadium of the Louisiana State University football team.Tiger Stadium opened with a capacity of 12,000 in 1924...
. He finished the year with 589 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and helped the team to a 10-3 record.
1997 proved to be tough for both Alexander and the Crimson Tide, as Alexander finished with 415 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while the Tide limped to four victories.
The following year turned out much better for both, as Alabama improved to 7-5, and Alexander had 18 touchdowns (14 rushing and four receiving) and attained 1,178 yards. He was rewarded with an All-Southeast Conference honors at the end of the season.
Following his junior season, Alexander decided to return for his senior season rather than leaving early for the NFL. After initially being given
Heisman TrophyThe 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...
consideration to start the season, those hopes would fade as the season progressed and ended with a sprained ankle versus
TennesseeThe Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
. Alexander still played a key role in leading the Tide to the
SECThe Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
Championship in 1999, with his game-winning 25–yard touchdown run against #3-ranked
FloridaThe Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
in overtime. In the fourth quarter of the 1999
Iron BowlThe Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
versus rivals
AuburnOnly Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
, Alexander led a comeback as he scored three rushing touchdowns in the 28–17 victory, finishing the game with 199 total yards. He left the school holding 15 records, including 3,565 career rushing yards.
2000–2004
Alexander was drafted by the
Seattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the
2000 NFL DraftThe 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
as the nineteenth overall pick.The Seahawks acquired the pick in the draft following a trade that sent wide receiver
Joey GallowayJoseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...
to the
Dallas CowboysThe 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...
. In his
rookieRookie 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...
season, Alexander saw limited action behind starter
Ricky WattersRichard "Ricky" James Watters is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Watters played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he played wide receiver on the...
, rushing for just 313 yards and two touchdowns.
In Alexander's second season in the NFL, he became the Seahawks featured running back, following injuries and eventual retirement of Watters. Alexander rushed for 1,318 yards and fourteen touchdowns, only behind
Marshall FaulkMarshall 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...
for total touchdowns. The offensive line was led by
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er Walter Jones and rookie Steve Hutchinson. On
ESPN Sunday Night FootballESPN Sunday Night Football is the ESPN cable network's weekly television broadcasts of Sunday evening National Football League games. The first ESPN Sunday night broadcast occurred on November 8, 1987, while the last one aired on January 1, 2006....
on November 11, 2001, versus
AFC WestThe AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
rival
Oakland RaidersThe 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...
at
Husky StadiumHusky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
in Seattle, Alexander rushed for a franchise record 266 yards on thirty-five carries, including an 88 yard run to the endzone. He was named the AFC Player of the week after his performance against the Raiders. Following the season,
Fox Sports NetThe Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
hired him to do a variety show called
Shaun Alexander Live, aimed to poke fun at Alexander's lack of recognition despite his on-field accomplishments, but it was short lived.
In 2002, he started all 16 games en route to an
NFCThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
leading (and franchise record) 16 rushing touchdowns, four of which came in the first half of Seattle's September 29, 2002 game against the
Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in only the second regular-season game ever at Seahawks Stadium (subsequently renamed
Qwest FieldCenturyLink Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, Washington, United States. It serves as the home field for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer...
) in Seattle. He also caught an 80-yard touchdown pass in the first half. The five touchdowns in that half set an NFL record. This was another ESPN Sunday Night Football game, enhancing Alexander's reputation for performing phenomenally well in high-profile, prime time nationally televised games.
2003 was another productive year for Alexander. He rushed his way to a career high of 1,435 rushing yards and scored 16 touchdowns. Seattle also made its first playoff appearance since 2000. Alexander's success in the 2003 season earned him his first trip to Honolulu for the annual
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
.
In 2004, Alexander remained one of the key components of Seattle's offense. He finished second in the NFL in rushing yards (with 1,696) to the
New York JetsThe 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...
'
Curtis MartinCurtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...
by a single yard. After being passed over for a late game rushing attempt during his team's victory over the
Atlanta FalconsThe 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...
, Alexander accused his coach
Mike HolmgrenMichael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
of "stabbing him in the back" by denying him an opportunity to win the rushing title. Alexander retracted his comments the following day and expressed support for his coach.
2005 season
Alexander had a great deal of success in the 2005 season. In the first game against the
Jacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he rushed for 73 yards. Other highlights include an 88-yard touchdown run against the
Arizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 6, 2005, and rushing for 165 yards against the
St. Louis RamsThe 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,...
on November 13, 2005. Also, he had two 4 touchdown games, against Arizona on September 25, 2005, and against the
Houston TexansThe 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...
on October 16, 2005. He led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns,
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
votes, and points.
During the 2005 season he broke the franchise record for the most rushing yards in the Seattle Seahawks' history. On November 13, 2005, scoring 3 touchdowns, Alexander became the first running back in NFL history to record 15 or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. On November 20, 2005, in San Francisco, Alexander became the first player in NFL history to score 19 rushing or receiving TDs in only 10 games (
Steve Van BurenStephen W. Van Buren is a former professional American football halfback who played for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League from 1944–1951, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
had 18 in 1945). This feat eventually led to him breaking
Priest HolmesPriest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
record of 27 total touchdowns set in 2003, and his 27 rushing touchdowns also tied Holmes for the most in a single season (the record was again broken a year later by LaDanian Tomlinson).
On December 11, 2005, in Seattle's
NFC WestThe NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
-clinching victory over the
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Alexander had his 9th 100–yard rushing game of the year, breaking Chris Warren's franchise record of eight 100–yard games. In the process he also set a more significant NFL record, running for 100 yards against divisional opponents in nine straight games, a record previously held by
Walter PaytonWalter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
. On December 18, 2005, in a game against the
Tennessee TitansThe 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...
, Alexander passed the 1,600 yard mark for the second consecutive season, had a Seahawks franchise record 10th 100 yard rushing game, and scored his 24th rushing touchdown of the year (as well as the 86th of his career, tying him with Priest Holmes at 12th on the all-time rushing touchdown leader list). Perhaps more substantial is that his 96th career touchdown moved him into an 18th place tie with
Randy MossRandy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
and
Eric DickersonEric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
on the all-time touchdown leader list, having already bumped Priest Holmes (94 TDs) into 21st. Alexander also became the first Seahawks player to appear on the cover of
Sports IllustratedSports 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...
.
In the
2005 seasonThe 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, Alexander broke out by setting several records and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player en route to a
Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
appearance with the Seahawks.
On January 1, 2006, in a game versus the
Green Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, Alexander set the single season touchdown record at 28, and tied Priest Holmes's record of 27 rushing touchdowns in a season. Alexander also won his first NFL rushing title with 1,880 rushing yards. In 2005, he joined
Emmitt SmithEmmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
,
Priest HolmesPriest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
, and
Marshall FaulkMarshall 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...
as the only running backs to record consecutive seasons of 20 or more touchdowns.
Four days later, on January 5, he was awarded with the 2005 NFL MVP Award, becoming the first Seahawk to win the MVP award in franchise history. He beat out
New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back
Tiki BarberAtiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
and
Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
quarterback
Peyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
who had won the award the previous two years. Alexander garnered 19 out of a possible 50 votes. A day after receiving the MVP award, Alexander was named
Associated Press Offensive Player of the YearThe NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award is given annually by the Associated Press to the offensive player of the National Football League believed to have had the most outstanding season...
. He received 34 votes of a panel of 50 NFL sportwriters and broadcasters. He was also named the FedEx Ground
NFLThe 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...
Player of the Year. At the
ESPY AwardsAn ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
Alexander received two awards, Best Record Breaking Performance and Best NFL Player.
In the 2006 Divisional playoff game against the
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
Alexander suffered a
concussionConcussion, from the Latin concutere or the Latin concussus , is the most common type of traumatic brain injury...
early on and had to watch the rest of the game, a Seahawks win, from the sidelines. However, in the
NFC Championship GameThe National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
against the
Carolina PanthersThe 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...
he had 34 carries for 132 yards and two touchdowns, which was easily the best playoff performance of his career.
Shaun Alexander and the Seahawks lost to the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in
Super Bowl XLSuper Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
on February 5, 2006. Alexander was, however, the leading rusher of the game with 95 yards. At the end of the season, he was selected to be the cover athlete of
Madden NFL 2007. Alexander was the first player to be featured on both the covers of
Madden NFL and
NCAA Football. He was also the only one with this accomplishment up until
Larry FitzgeraldLarry Darnell Fitzgerald, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League, and currently ranks fourth all-time in league history in receiving yards per game for a career , behind Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison...
was selected to appear on
Madden NFL 10For the tenth installment in the Madden series, see Madden 64Madden NFL 10 is an American football video game based on the National Football League that was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 21st annual installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise...
.
2006 season
In March 2006, Alexander signed an eight-year,
$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
62 million contract (15.1 million of which was guaranteed and 15 million to be paid in the first year of the contract) to remain with the Seattle Seahawks organization, becoming the highest paid running back in NFL history at the time. However, the Seahawks All-Pro offensive guard Steve Hutchinson left to go to the Minnesota Vikings several weeks later due to free agency, weakening an offensive line that had been a large part of Alexander's 2005 productivity.
Alexander's success in the previous season led to his being featured on the cover of
Madden NFL 07Madden NFL 07 is the 2007 edition of the popular Madden NFL series. It is the first in the video game series to be released for the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles. Former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander is on the cover.-Features:...
, making him the first player to appear on the covers of both EA Sports football titles—previously appearing on
NCAA Football 2001. Alexander broke his left foot in week 3 of the season, effectively continuing the Madden Curse. However, in the same game, Alexander set a team record while scoring his 102nd touchdown of his career, breaking Steve Largent's record. He returned to action on November 19 against the
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, rushing 17 times for 37 yards. In a November 27 game on ESPN's
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
against the Packers, Alexander carried the ball a team record 40 times for 201 yards in a game that featured snow for the first time at Qwest Field. It was a return to MVP form and yet another prime-time showcase for Alexander, who was still playing with the broken foot.In a December 10 loss to the
Arizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Alexander broke
Barry SandersBarry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
's record for most consecutive games with a run of 10 or more yards.
Alexander finished the 2006 season with 252 rushing attempts for 896 yards and seven touchdowns in ten games.
2007 season
During Week 1's game against
Tampa BayThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, Alexander sustained a fractured left wrist. He indicated that the injury was not major and that he would continue to play, but his performance took a noticeable turn for the worse. During Week 5, Alexander's lead blocker,
Mack StrongMack Carlington Strong is a former professional American football fullback and running back coach for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He currently is a football sportscaster for Root Sports Northwest...
, was injured with a herniated disk in his neck, forcing him to retire; he was replaced by
Leonard Weaver. This left Alexander even more exposed and as a result, injuries continued to plague him. In week 9, he sprained both his knee and ankle. Even so, in the final game of the regular season, Alexander was able to become the eighth player in NFL history to score 100 rushing touchdowns.
Alexander's final regular season statistics for 2007 were 716 yards rushing on 207 attempts, a 3.5–yard per carry with four touchdowns in 10 games. He added 14 receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown to his rushing totals. After a January 12, 2008 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers in which Alexander recorded only 20 yards on 9 carries and scored just one touchdown, the Seahawks opted to cut Alexander from the team on April 22, 2008.
2008 season
After his release, Alexander visited several teams including the
Cincinnati BengalsThe 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...
,
New Orleans SaintsThe 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 ....
, and
Detroit LionsThe 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...
but was not able to come to terms on a contract until he visited the
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. On October 14, 2008, the team signed Alexander to fill the void left when back-up running back
Ladell BettsMatthew Ladell Betts is an American football running back who is currently a free agent He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa....
went down with a knee injury. However, the Redskins released Shaun on November 25, 2008 after he logged only 11 carries in 4 games and only 2.2 Yards Per Carry.
Current status
Alexander remained unsigned for the rest of the 2008 season. In August 2009, Alexander expressed an interest in returning to the NFL, stating that four teams had called, but none had offered contracts: "My training has gone up to a level where I'm as strong and explosive as I've ever been right now," he said. "I feel with the right team and right situation I could really help somebody. One thing I've done since I was a little kid was score touchdowns. So if somebody needs somebody to get in the red zone and do some work, I could probably do that again." However, he has yet to return to the NFL.
College
| Season |
Games |
Rushing |
Receiving |
| Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
| 1996 The 1996 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama for the 1996–97 college football season, competing in the Western Division in the Southeastern Conference. Gene Stallings led the Crimson Tide to a 10–3 record in his final year with the program...
|
11 |
77 |
589 |
7.6 |
6 |
73 |
53.5 |
7 |
53 |
7.6 |
0 |
28 |
4.8 |
1997The 1997 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the college football season of 1997–98. The team's head coach was Mike DuBose, who was entering his first year at Alabama. They played their home games at both Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field in...
|
9 |
90 |
415 |
4.6 |
3 |
27 |
46.1 |
4 |
37 |
9.3 |
0 |
22 |
4.1 |
1998The 1998 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the college football season of 1998–99. The team's head coach was Mike DuBose, who was entering his second year at Alabama. They played their home games at both Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Legion Field...
|
10 |
232 |
1,046 |
4.5 |
12 |
37 |
104.6 |
25 |
379 |
15.2 |
4 |
43 |
37.9 |
1999The 1999 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 1999 college football season. The team was led by head coach Mike DuBose, who was in his third season with the program...
|
11 |
302 |
1,383 |
4.6 |
19 |
38 |
125.7 |
25 |
323 |
12.9 |
4 |
51 |
29.4 |
| Career Total | 41 |
701 | 3,433 | 4.9 | 40 | 73 | 83.7 |
61 | 792 | 13.0 | 8 | 51 | 19.3 |
NFL
| Team | |Season | |Games |
Rushing | |Receiving | |Fumbles |
| G | S | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost |
Seattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
|
2000 |
16 |
1 |
64 |
313 |
4.9 |
50 |
2 |
5 |
41 |
8.2 |
18 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| 2001 |
16 |
12 |
309 |
1,318 |
4.3 |
88 |
14 |
44 |
343 |
7.8 |
28 |
2 |
4 |
4 |
| 2002 |
16 |
16 |
295 |
1,175 |
4.0 |
58 |
16 |
59 |
460 |
7.8 |
80 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
| 2003 |
16 |
15 |
326 |
1,435 |
4.4 |
55 |
14 |
42 |
295 |
7.0 |
22 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
| 2004 |
16 |
16 |
353 |
1,696 |
4.8 |
44 |
16 |
23 |
170 |
7.4 |
24 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
| 2005 |
16 |
16 |
370 |
1,880 |
5.1 |
88 |
28 |
15 |
78 |
5.2 |
9 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
| 2006 |
10 |
10 |
252 |
896 |
3.6 |
33 |
7 |
12 |
48 |
4.0 |
14 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
| 2007 |
13 |
10 |
207 |
716 |
3.5 |
25 |
4 |
14 |
76 |
5.4 |
18 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
|
2008 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
24 |
2.2 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
9.0 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Career Totals |
2,187 | 9,453 | 4.3 | 88 | 100 |
215 | 1,520 | 7.1 | 80 | 12 |
31 | 17 |
Personal
Alexander married Valerie Alexander (née Boyd) in April 2002 after a two-year courtship. Together, the couple have three daughters and a son: Heaven (b. September 21, 2003), Trinity (b. July 28, 2005), Eden, and Joseph. His older brother by one year Durran serves as executive director of the Shaun Alexander Foundation.
A born-again Christian, Alexander and his wife are very outspoken about their faith and are regular attendees at Federal Way's Christian Faith Center. Firm supporters of abstinence and sexual purity, Shaun and Valerie both were virgins when they married. Alexander has discussed the issue publicly on many occasions, including in his book
Touchdown Alexander.
Alexander has graced the cover of Madden 2007 and NCAA Football 2001. This makes him the first of two people (along with
Larry FitzgeraldLarry Darnell Fitzgerald, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League, and currently ranks fourth all-time in league history in receiving yards per game for a career , behind Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison...
) in the history of the EA Sports American Football games to appear on two different covers.
External links