Shaun Alexander

At 46 years old, Shaun Alexander has this physical status:

Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is a retired American football running back who competed for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. (NFL)

He played college football for the University of Alabama and was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft.

He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in May 2011.

Alexander set numerous NFL and Seattle Seahawks franchise records, and was named NFL MVP in 2005.

He was also selected to the NFL's 2000 All-Decade team.

Personal life

After a two-year courtship, Alexander married Valerie Alexander (née Boyd) in April 2002. The couple have 11 children together. At two months of age, the couple had another child who died unexpectedly at two months old. Alexander has an older brother named Durran, who works as executive director of the Shaun Alexander Foundation, who lives in New York one year.

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Early career

Alexander was born and raised in Florence, Kentucky. Curtis Alexander Jr., a boy from Morton Salt, works for Morton Salt, and Carol Alexander works in the Boone County School District's truancy department. Durran has an elder brother, four older half-sisters, and three older half-brothers. He and Durran were raised by their mother in a two-bedroom apartment off the main street of Shenandoah Drive in Florence, Kentucky, when he was 11.

Alexander was enrolled in Florence Elementary School and Rector A. Jones Middle School. He began attending Boone County High School in 1991. He played football for the junior varsity team and was named Class President for the first year in high school every year. Alexander excelled in basketball, baseball, and track as well as football.

Alexander made the varsity team as the second-string running back in his sophomore season. He was the team's most versatile running back when he rushed for 1,095 yards and 14 touchdowns by mid-season. As Boone County advanced to the state semifinals in 1993, Alexander ran for 2,396 yards and 42 touchdowns. Alexander rushed for seven touchdowns in a game against Campbell County. In January 1994, he was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" segment.

Alexander rushed for 3,166 yards and a state record 54 touchdowns in his senior season, 1994-1995, and was named Kentucky's "Mr. Football." "Alexander the Great" was also selected by Parade and USA Today's 1994 All American team, named "Old Spice Athlete of the Month" by Sports Illustrated, and he had his high school number 37 retired a few weeks before his graduation, and was also named "Alexander the Great" by Parade and USA Today's 1994 All-American team. Alexander rushed for 6,657 yards and 110 touchdowns in three seasons, both of which are Top 10 prep all-time records.

College career

Alexander had narrowed his choices down to Michigan, Alabama, and Notre Dame (where his brother Durran played drums in the marching band). Because of the warm weather and the general students' enthusiasm, he ultimately chose the University of Alabama.

Alexander received a scholarship from Gene Stallings, then-head coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team in 1995, during his senior year in high school. In 1997, Mike DuBose would replace Stallings. Alexander was redshirted during his freshman year on campus.

Alexander rushed for a school-record 291 yards and four touchdowns in a 26-0 victory over rivals LSU at Tiger Stadium in 1996. He had 589 rushing yards and six touchdowns last year and helped the team beat the opposition 10-3.

Both Alexander and the Crimson Tide were battling in the 1997 season, with Alexander finishing with 415 yards and three touchdowns, while the Tide limped to four victories.

Both football and defense were much better off this season, with Alabama up to 7-5 and Alexander with 18 touchdowns (14 rushing and four receiving) and 1,178 yards. At the end of the season, he was voted with an All-Southeast Conference award.

Alexander decided to return for his senior season rather than leaving early for the NFL following his junior season. Many people's aspirations would diminish as the season progressed and ended with a sprained ankle against Tennessee, despite being granted the Heisman Trophy for the first time this season. Alexander also played a vital role in the Tide to the SEC Championship in 1999 as Alabama stumbling #3 Florida with a 34-7 win. Alexander led the game with three rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter against Auburn, putting the game with 199 total yards. He left the academy with 15 records, including 3,565 career rushing yards.

Professional career

Alexander was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft on April 15 as the 19th overall pick. Following a trade that sent wide receiver Joey Galloway to the Dallas Cowboys, the Seahawks obtained the pick in the draft. Alexander saw little action behind starter Ricky Watters in his rookie season, passing for only 313 yards and two touchdowns.

In Alexander's second season in the NFL, he was the Seahawks' featured running back after suffering injuries and eventual departure of Watters. Alexander passed for 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns, only second behind Marshall Faulk for total touchdowns. Pro Bowler Walter Jones and rookie Steve Hutchinson led the offensive line. Alexander rushed for a franchise-record 266 yards on 35 attempts against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday Night Football in Seattle, including an 88-yard run to the endzone. Following his success against the Raiders, he was named the NFC Player of the Week. Despite Alexander's on-field success, Fox Sports Net recruited him to perform a variety show called Shaun Alexander Live, which was short-lived.

Alexander played in all 16 games against the Minnesota Vikings in only the second regular-season game at Seahawks Stadium (subsequently renamed Qwest Field and renamed in Seattle for the second time in CenturyLink Field). In the first half, he also caught an 80-yard touchdown pass. The five touchdowns in the first half tied for the first time in NFL history. This was another ESPN Sunday Night Football game, boosting Alexander's name for being unstoppable in high-profile, prime time nationally televised games.

Alexander's 2003 was another fruitful year. He rushed his way to a career-high of 1,435 passing yards and touchdowns, earning 16 touchdowns in a row. 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 Bowl.

Alexander continued to be one of Seattle's most significant offensive elements in 2004. Curtis Martin of the New York Jets finished second in the NFL in rushing yards (with 1,696) to Curtis Martin by a single yard. Alexander accused his mentor Mike Holmgren of "stabbing him in the back" after being denied the opportunity to win the rushing title despite being suspended due to his late-game rushing attempt during his team's victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Alexander retorted his remarks the following day and expressed his admiration for his coach.

Alexander had a lot of success in 2005. He rushed for 73 yards in the Jacksonville Jaguars' season opener. Other highlights include an 88-yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on November 6, 2005, and rushing for 165 yards against the St. Louis Rams on November 13, 2005. In addition, he played two touchdown games against Arizona on September 25, 2005, and the Houston Texans on October 16, 2005. He led the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, Pro Bowl votes, and points.

Alexander set a new franchise record for the most rushing yards in the Seattle Seahawks' history during the 2005 season. Alexander became the first running back in football history to reach 15 or more touchdowns in five seasons on November 13, 2005. Alexander became the first NFL player to score 19 rushing or receiving touchdowns in fewer than ten games on November 20, 2005, in San Francisco (Steve Van Buren had 18 in 1945). He eventually became the first person to pass out 27 total touchdowns set in 2003, and his 27 rushing touchdowns tied Holmes for the most in a single season (Lady Tomlinson broke the record a year later).

Alexander played in Seattle's NFC West-clinching victory over the San Francisco 49ers on December 11, 2005, beating Chris Warren's record of eight 100-yard games. In the process, he set a new NFL record by running for 100 yards against divisional opponents in nine straight games, a record held by Walter Payton. Alexander finished his 1,000-yard game against the Tennessee Titans on December 18, 2005, his second straight season, and his second game rushing touchdown of the year (as well as the 86th of his career), tying him with Priest Holmes at No. 12 on the all-time rush touchdown leader list). His 96th career touchdown put him in a tie with Randy Moss and Eric Dickerson on the all-time touchdown leader list, with Priest Holmes (94 TDs) already ranked in 21st. Alexander was also the first Seahawks player to be featured on the front page of Sports Illustrated.

Alexander set the single-season touchdown record at 28, surpassing Priest Holmes' record of 27 rushing touchdowns in a season on January 1, 2006. Alexander also won his first NFL rushing title with 1,880 rushing yards, while leading the NFC for the second year in a row. In 2005, he joined Emmitt Smith, Priest Holmes, and Marshall Faulk as the only running backs to post a season with 20 or more touchdowns. Alexander assisted the Seahawks in establishing the league's best-ranked offense and the team's scoring crown when combined with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

He was named with the 2005 NFL MVP award four days later on January 5, becoming the first Seahawk to win the MVP award. He beat out New York Giants running back Tiki Barber and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who had won the award the previous two years. Alexander received 19 out of a possible 50 votes. Alexander was named Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year on the day after receiving the MVP award. He received 34 votes from a group of 50 NFL writers and broadcasters. He was also named as the year's best football player. Best Record Breaking Achievement and Best NFL Player were among Alexander's two awards at the ESPY Awards.

Alexander sustained a concussion early on in a divisional playoff game against the Washington Redskins and was forced to watch the Seahawks win. However, in the NFC Championship Game against the Carolina Panthers, he had 34 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, his best playoff performance of his career.

In Super Bowl XL, the Seahawks lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on February 5, 2006. Alexander, on the other hand, was the game's leading rusher with 95 yards. He was chosen to be Madden's cover athlete at the end of the season. Alexander was the first celebrity to be featured on both Madden NFL and NCAA Football (the former was on 2001). Fitzgerald was also the only one with this talent up until Larry Fitzgerald was selected to appear on Madden NFL 10, although Fitzgerald was showing a photograph with the Steelers' Troy Polamalu.

Dustin Blatnik and the 12th Man Band celebrated Alexander's MVP season in the album "Sweet Shaun Alexander," a parody of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" during his stay in the United States. In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL, ESPN Radio and other broadcasts carried "Sweet Shaun" in the Seattle area. In a Sports Illustrated magazine, the song was condemned, with the phrase "the sacrilege with cheese."

Alexander signed an eight-year, $62 million deal ($15.1 million of which was promised and $15 million to be paid in the first year of the contract) to remain with the Seattle Seahawks organization, making him the highest paid running back in NFL history at the time. However, Seattle's All-Pro offensive guard Steve Hutchinson was destined to the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks later due to free agency, weakening an offensive line that had been a large part of Alexander's 2005 success.

Alexander broke his left foot in Week 3 of the season, effectively ending the Madden Curse. Alexander did score his 102nd touchdown of his career in the same game, trouncing Steve Largent's record. He returned to action against the San Francisco 49ers on November 19, rushing 17 times for 37 yards. Alexander carried the ball a team record 40 times for 201 yards against the Packers on Monday Night Football against the Packers on Sunday night in a game that featured snow for the first time at Qwest Field on Monday night. Alexander's appearance was a return to MVP form and yet another prime-time showcase for Alexander, who was still playing with the broken foot. Alexander broke Barry Sanders' record for most consecutive games with a run of ten or more yards in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on December 10.

Alexander finished the 2006 season with 252 rush attempts for 896 yards and seven touchdowns in ten games.

Alexander sustained a fractured left wrist during Week 1's game against Tampa Bay. He said that the injury was not significant and that he would continue to train, but that his performance took a drastic turn for the worse. Mack Strong, Alexander's lead blocker, was hospitalized with a herniated disk in his neck, requiring him to leave; he was replaced by Leonard Weaver. Alexander was even more apparent, and as a result, injuries continued to plague him. He strained both his knee and ankle in Week 9 this week. However, Alexander made history by winning 100 rushing touchdowns in the final game of the season.

Alexander's final regular season stats for the 2007 season were 716 yards on 207 attempts, a 3.5-yard per carry with four touchdowns in ten games. He had 14 receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown, as well as a touchdown. Alexander was suspended from the team after a humiliating loss to the Green Bay Packers on January 12, 2008, in which Alexander finished only 20 yards on 9 carries and scored just one touchdown.

Alexander went to various organizations after his release, including the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and New Orleans Saints, but he was unable to decide on a contract until he visited the Washington Redskins. After back-up running back Ladell Betts went down with a knee injury on October 14, 2008, the team signed Alexander to fill the void left. Alexander was cut from the Redskins on November 25, 2008, after he played only 11 times in four games and averaged 2.2 yards per carry.

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