Hamza Abdullah: Why faith has priority over football

Alam Khan - Reporter 12:44 19/12/2013
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  • It is rare in modern-day sport to see an individual forego millions of dollars and a coveted place in the NFL for the sake of religion.

    But Hamza Abdullah is a rarity, his life evoking a rollercoaster of experiences and emotions that few will endure.

    A year ago, he and his brother Husain took a sabbatical, after starting seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings respectively, to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.

    As practising Muslims, and with their ailing step-father Yusuf suffering with chronic diabetes and undergoing dialysis, they sacrificed football for faith.

    Hamza says the trip to Mecca was unforgettable and the culmination of years of toil to fulfil the hopes of his family.

    Growing up in South Central, Los Angeles, and then Pomona, California, as one of eight boys and four girls, he admits life was “pretty tough”.

    “But I was fortunate to have the parents I had, and they never really showed the kids how tough it was,” says the 30-year-old. “I only realised that as I got older. My mother, Sa’eeda, was a teacher, but would have a job and then wouldn’t.

    "It wasn’t a lack of credentials, but because she wore her Hijab. It was the late 1990s and the first time I’d experienced racism and cultural differences.

    “She had every degree, spoke three languages, English, Spanish and Arabic and the kids loved her. To have all those skills and not share them had to be frustrating, but she did her Duas and stayed strong for us.

    “My step-father couldn’t find a solid job so did everything, painted houses, cleaned carpets, did landscaping, whatever it took to look after such a large family.”

    It was Yusuf who pushed the basketball-loving Abdullah brothers, then 11 and nine, into American Football, sparking their rise to success.

    “He said he was going to put us in the football at school to make us tough,” recalls Hamza. “Me and Husain hid in the closet while our older brother, Abbas, signed up. We missed it that year, but saw him play and realised how much fun it was and that it wasn’t as scary as we thought.”

    As a running back and defensive safety, Hamza was quick and strong, and he needed to be the same mentally to cope with racial taunts.

    He said: “One of the first times was when we went down to Chula Vista and I would hear the names they were saying. I was in their territory and you can’t fight with everyone, that doesn’t solve anything. But I said I was going to hit as hard as I can, run as fast as I can. I had a good day, and they had to respect me.

    "And the next time an African-American came to play there, they had to respect him too. People are racist because they don’t respect you.

    “In the NFL, we don’t suffer as players, no. We are very well respected in the locker room, the front office, but I know people are judging me because I’m African-American, because I’m Muslim. It’s tough, but it’s nothing like it was for the people before me, Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Althea Gibson, Tiger Woods or Jackie Robinson.

    “I can’t imagine growing up not being able to stay at a hotel or eat at a diner because of my colour, or hear all these racial slurs and epithets on the field and no one is doing anything about it. That would hurt.

    “I still think we have a little ways to go. We are breaking down walls through people like Tiger and the Williams Sisters, but there is still that prejudice.

    “Through them and the Althea Gibson Foundation, hopefully more people of all races can succeed, judged by if they can play or not. And as a Muslim all we can do is to continue to show what true Islam is.”

    Hamza’s devotion to Islam, though, has left his career uncertain. While his brother Husain was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, Hamza, who was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2005 and has also starred at safety for the Denver Broncos and Arizona, is waiting for a call.

    His frustration turned to fury, though, in October when he laid bare his feelings on social media. A series of expletive-laden tweets centred on the NFL’s lack of help for players, past and present, following head injuries and the growing concern about suicide.

    In September this year the NFL reached a settlement of $765 million with 4,500 former players who had sued the league over concussion issues. Hamza, though, maintains not enough is being done to address the problem.

    “I was sending a message out,” says Hamza, who is married to Alexa and has three children, Layla, Aqil and Maryam. “I’m not one to curse, rarely cursed before that, and haven’t since. But I knew the platform I had, and it would not have been heard if I had not used the curse words.

    “I used them to grab the attention and then for people to see the substance of what I was saying and that brothers are not being taken care of. It’s not monetary, but a loss of life. We lost seven people last year, already two this year. For me that’s a problem.

    “Suicide is preventable and if the establishment cares about their people, it can get wiped out.

    “The NFL should educate players and properly diagnose head injuries, concussions, when they happen to make sure there are no long-term effects.

    "As a kid I liked the big hits, but I didn’t know later in life you would have severe depression and be thinking of committing suicide. I’ve had bad thoughts. Here I am as a Muslim and we shouldn’t have thoughts like that because everything is by the will of Allah. I had to stand up, check myself. Here I was thinking I’m no good.

    “Football is the most important thing in your life when you are in the NFL and to have that snatched away from you, it’s hard.

    "There’s no going-away party, no smooth transition. You are playing one day and not the next. People will say I walked away, and yes I went to perform Hajj, but I wanted to come back.

    “I was still in shape, still the same player I was. In the NFL they are getting older players out, bringing young ones in as they are cheaper. Depression sets in when you are in your athletic prime, more apt to winning, and not able to play.”

    Hamza adds: “People ask if I regret taking that year out to perform Hajj and had done it when I retired. But no, Allah has a plan and he is the best of planners. I still work out and feel as though I can play again, but things are out of my control.”

    HAMZA'S HIGHLIGHTS

    Love of the Lakers

    “I dreamt of being a basketball player, Magic Johnson was my favourite. He started in every position in the NBA finals in 1982. I saw everything he would do for his team and his team-mates. He wanted for his brother what he wanted for himself. I wanted to be a leader like Magic.”

    The big hitters

     “My NFL hero was Steve Atwater, a safety for Denver Broncos. He was tall like me and hit guys really hard. I was a really big Green Bay Packers fan so LeRoy Butler too. The best I ever played with is Champ Bailey, a cornerback for Denver. He will be a Hall of Fame player, a superstar player, but still gracious.”

    Iftar with Obama

     “It was amazing to go to the White House in 2011 and be on his table. He was humble, softly spoken, well read, very intelligent and had respect for everyone. He is a special person.”

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