1. Raghib Ramadian "Rocket" Ismail was born on November 18,1969 and is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver.
28 Facts About Rocket Ismail
1. 2.
Rocket Ismail played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before moving on to both the Canadian Football League from 1991 to 1992 and the National Football League from 1993 to 2001.
3.
Rocket Ismail recorded two 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the NFL and was a CFL All-Star in 1991, as well as the Most Valuable Player of the 79th Grey Cup.
4.
Rocket Ismail was selected by Sports Illustrated to the 85-man roster of its all-20th Century college football team.
5.
Rocket Ismail was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and was raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
6.
Rocket Ismail first came to prominence as a receiver for the University of Notre Dame.
7.
Rocket Ismail was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice, and received numerous awards, including All-American status.
8.
The projected first overall selection in the 1991 NFL draft, Rocket Ismail decided at the last minute to sign a record contract with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League starting during their 1991 season.
9.
Rocket Ismail was a track star at the University of Notre Dame, where he ran the 100 meters in 10.2 seconds.
10.
Rocket Ismail competed in the 55 meters, with a personal best of 6.07 seconds.
11.
Doug Flutie of the BC Lions was about to be paid $1 million under the exemption, but Rocket Ismail's contract was more than anything North American football had ever seen, as his yearly salary was then the largest in Canadian or American football history.
12.
Rocket Ismail joined the Argonauts in time for the 1991 season, and in his first game, returned a kick seventy-three yards on a reverse with Michael Clemons.
13.
Rocket Ismail ended his rookie season at the 79th Grey Cup.
14.
Rocket Ismail came within fifty yards of breaking his teammate Clemons' franchise record for single-season kickoff return yardage, and made the 1991 All-Star team as a wide receiver, finishing runner-up to Jon Volpe for rookie of the year.
15.
In 1992 Rocket Ismail broke Clemons' franchise record for single-season kick return yards.
16.
Rocket Ismail was remembered for his participation in a sideline brawl against the Stampeders where he stomped an opposing player's helmeted face.
17.
Rocket Ismail was going to be selected as the first overall pick in the 1991 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys, until he decided to sign with the Toronto Argonauts.
18.
In 1993, as a rookie in the National Football League, Rocket Ismail recorded 353 receiving yards.
19.
Rocket Ismail was released on February 26,2003, in a salary cap move.
20.
Rocket Ismail was a color analyst on ESPN's College GameDay in 2003 and 2004.
21.
Rocket Ismail cohosted Cowboys Game Night on FSN Southwest with co-host Nate Newton and Ric Renner.
22.
In February 2008, Rocket Ismail appeared as a Pro in the third season of Spike TV's Pros vs Joes.
23.
Rocket Ismail was a contestant on Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge on CMT.
24.
In March 2010, it was announced that Rocket Ismail would be a correspondent on the show, interviewing contestants about their lives outside the competition.
25.
Rocket Ismail is married to Melanie Rocket Ismail and they have four children.
26.
Rocket Ismail is the older brother of former Syracuse University and NFL wide receiver Qadry Ismail, nicknamed "The Missile", and former University of Texas-El Paso and New York Dragons receiver Sulaiman Ismail, nicknamed "The Bomb".
27.
Rocket Ismail converted from Islam in his early teens after his Muslim father died and he was sent to live with his grandmother, a member of an Assemblies of God church.
28.
Rocket Ismail is an inspirational speaker, and speaks for corporations, schools and churches.