Rashard Mendenhall was a rare combination of power and speed.

This installment features legendary Illinois Football player Rashard Mendenhall. In September, he and 11 other athletes will be inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame.

Rashard Mendenhall was a champion in college and the pros.

Life is about taking advantage of opportunities when they come your way. Former Illini running back Rashard Mendenhall knows this all too well. After a decorated high school career at Niles West High School, Mendenhall had to wait his turn behind Pierre Thomas and E.B Halsey. However, when Mendenhall got his opportunity in 2007, he took full advantage.

Mendenhall was a vital piece of the Illini’s 2007 Rose Bowl team. He and quarterback Isiah “Juice” Williams formed one of the best running duos in college football. Mendenhall ran for a then single-season record 1,681 yards. Mikel Leshoure would break the record in 2010. The Skokie native was Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a Third-Team All-American.

A first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mendenhall was part of two Super Bowl teams (2008 and 2010). He was injured most of the 2008 season but led the league in rushing in 2010. Mendenhall helped lead the Steelers to the Super Bowl that year.

Life after Football

Mendenhall retired from football in 2014 at the age of 26. He began a trend of players retiring young rather than putting their bodies at risk. In a Huffington Post article he wrote titled, Why I Retired at 26, he wrote this:

“I’ve greatly enjoyed my time, but I no longer wish to put my body at risk for the sake of entertainment. I think about the rest of my life and want to live it with much quality. And physically, I am grateful that I can walk away feeling as good as I did when I stepped into it.”

Mendenhall did not stop winning after football, however. He has become a highly-respected writer and producer, notably for the HBO hit series Ballers. 

The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics named 12 new members to the UI Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023, including athletes and coaches from nine teams. This is the seventh Hall of Fame class. It includes two Olympic medalists, members of their sport’s national hall of fame, national champions, high professional draft picks, a Super Bowl champion, and a national record holder for more than 70 years.