Hamza Abdullah
Encyclopedia
Hamza Muhammad Abdullah (born August 20, 1983) is an American football
safety. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Washington State
.
Abdullah has also played for the Denver Broncos
and the Cleveland Browns
. He is the older brother of NFL safety Husain Abdullah
.
and is one of twelve children in his family. He is African American
and was raised a practicing Muslim. He attended Pomona High School
and played under John Capraro.
in the seventh round (231st overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He was waived at the end of training camp and spent the first two months of the 2005 season
on the team's practice squad
.
.
Abdullah spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons with the Broncos, playing primarily on special teams and in a reserve role. He started his first career game on November 11, 2007 against the Kansas City Chiefs
, logging his first tackle
against return specialist
Dante Hall
.
A restricted free agent
in the 2008 offseason, Abdullah signed his one-year tender offer from the Broncos on April 17. He was released by the Broncos on September 23 after the team signed safety Vernon Fox
.
on October 6, 2008 after the team waived wide receiver
Steve Sanders. He was waived during final cuts on September 5.
on December 22, 2009 after linebacker
Ali Highsmith
was waived.
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...
safety. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The 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...
in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 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 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. 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 Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
.
Abdullah has also played for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He is the older brother of NFL safety Husain Abdullah
Husain Abdullah
Husain Ibn Muhammed Abdullah is an American football safety for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Washington State...
.
Early years
Abdullah was raised in southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
and is one of twelve children in his family. He is African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and was raised a practicing Muslim. He attended Pomona High School
Pomona High School (Pomona, California)
Pomona High School is a high school operated by the Pomona Unified School District in California, located in North Pomona at 475 Bangor St. In 2002 and 2003, the Pomona High School football team won the Valle Vista League championship...
and played under John Capraro.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Abdullah was drafted by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The 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...
in the seventh round (231st overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He was waived at the end of training camp and spent the first two months of the 2005 season
2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5-11 record in 2004. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year....
on the team's practice squad
Scout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
.
Denver Broncos
On November 1, 2005, Abdullah was signed off the Buccaneers' practice squad to the active roster of the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Abdullah spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons with the Broncos, playing primarily on special teams and in a reserve role. He started his first career game on November 11, 2007 against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, logging his first tackle
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
against return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
Dante Hall
Dante Hall
Damieon Dante Hall is a former American football Return specialist, and wide receiver in the National Football League. He is considered one of the greatest return specialists in NFL History...
.
A restricted free agent
Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :...
in the 2008 offseason, Abdullah signed his one-year tender offer from the Broncos on April 17. He was released by the Broncos on September 23 after the team signed safety Vernon Fox
Vernon Fox
Vernon Lee Fox, III is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent after the 2002 NFL Draft...
.
Cleveland Browns
Abdullah was signed by the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 6, 2008 after the team waived 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...
Steve Sanders. He was waived during final cuts on September 5.
Arizona Cardinals
Abdullah was signed by the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The 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 December 22, 2009 after linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Ali Highsmith
Ali Highsmith
Arlington Louis "Ali" Highsmith is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
was waived.