Football Star Who Had His Career Ruined By Marijuana Dies Young
Rashaan Salaam, a former Heisman Trophy-winning running back, dies
Rashaan Salaam, a Heisman Trophy-winning former running back, has died, a family spokesperson said Tuesday.
He was 42.
Salaam was found dead Monday night in a park in Boulder, Colorado, where he had played for the University of Colorado. Authorities said there was no sign of foul play.
"The Buff Family has lost an outstanding young man and a great Buff today," athletic director Rick George said Tuesday. "We are heartbroken for Rashaan and his family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this very difficult time."
The football team at Colorado tweeted about the loss of a great former Buff.
The Chicago Bears , who picked Salaam in the first round (No. 21) of the 1995 draft, tweeted, "Our thoughts are with his family."
Salaam won the Heisman Trophy in 1994, after a season in which the Buffaloes finished No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll. He also won the Walter Camp Award that year, and the Doak Walker Award.
During his rookie season, he became the youngest player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards. He was 21 years, 77 days old. He also scored 10 touchdowns that season.
Plagued by injuries and fumbles with the Bears (he lost 14 in 31 games), he acknowledged, in 1999, that marijuana use contributed to his problems in Chicago. "It probably had me out there lackadaisical instead of going out there 100 percent," he told ESPN in an interview then. "Everybody thinks getting high is cool, you can let it go when you want to let it go," he said. "But it's just as potent as cocaine."
Salaam won the Heisman Trophy in 1994, after a season in which the Buffaloes finished No. 3 in the final AP poll. Tim DeFrisco/Getty Images
Salaam broke his leg in the third game of the 1997 season, after committing two costly fumbles, and said that injury increased his addiction.
Salaam told ESPN he had informed the Bears about his problem early in 1998 and entered a rehabilitation program, but the Bears later cut him, and he was out of football for a season.
He signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders in 1999, but was cut. He landed in Cleveland later that year and played two games for the Browns. He also was a member of the Green Bay Packers ' practice squad.
Salaam also briefly played for the XFL Memphis Maniax in 2001.
Salaam launched a comeback attempt in 2002 and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2003, but he was released before the season. He was signed by the CFL's Toronto Argonauts in February 2004 but was suspended in May, ending his professional career.
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His mother, Khalada, told USA TODAY Sports Tuesday that police said they suspect it’s a suicide after finding a note.
“They said they found a note and would share that with us when we get there,” Salaam’s mother said.
"Everybody thinks getting high is cool, you can let it go when you want to let it go," he said. "But it's just as potent as cocaine."
You would have to be a cocaine user to be able to make this statement, if you want people to believe you. I've never heard any drug user say something that obtuse. He probably had other drug problems that were plaguing him.
I'm sad that the man, of such promise, committed suicide. May he rest in peace!
However, cocaine is more potent than marijuana and anyone that thinks otherwise is foolish. Watching the history channel on Sunday about Pearl Harbor, poor FDR had such bad sinus troubles that they painted the inside of his nose with cocaine before we went off to the joint session of congress and the senate to ask for a declaration of war... Poor man! Cocaine does offer some pain relief, and it does make one's sinuses (insert word here that means opposite of swell), and that was all they had available to them back then, but it does make one look at the scene a bit differently...
Dec. 7, 1941-- a date that will live in infamy!
There is such a thing as a pot head and people do become psychologically addicted to it, and do ruin their lives. Over the decades millions of people have ruined their lives through marijuana use. It can make people temporarily paranoid.
While I certainly don't think people who smoke pot should go to jail or even pay fines, it is not always a benign substance. I have no doubt it ruined Raashan Salaam's life, because he specifically said it did.
Let them drink themselves to death instead. Nothing illegal about that.
People also become psychologically addicted to eating baby powder and cutting themselves with razorblades. Rashaan's biggest problem was Rashaan.
I understand that people who like to smoke pot, or used to, also defend pot - in my opinion sometimes too much. Marijuana has ruined people's lives , it's not even debatable.
If it is always the individual's fault then alcohol hasn't harmed anyone either.
I have to agree, Larry.
It's become a billion dollar business here so it's making lives better for a lot of people both on the buying end and the selling end. Lots of opportunity for those willing to put in the effort to grow and distribute the top shelf grade.