Rashid Shaheed, an American professional football wide receiver and return specialist for the Seattle Seahawks, comes from a family where sprinting is as natural as breathing.
His parents, Haneef and Cassondra Shaheed, were track stars in their own right.
Rashid could have taken a different road and become a track star, but he dreamed of becoming a football star.
He began playing football at Mt. Carmel High School and attended Weber State University, where he set the FCS record for career kickoff return touchdowns with seven.
Sadly, he went undrafted, and the New Orleans Saints signed him on May 2, 2022. During his NFL debut on October 16, he had a 44-yard rushing touchdown on his first career touch.
On November 4, 2025, the Saints traded Rashid to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for 2026 fourth and fifth-round picks. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons.
I used to run around the house with a helmet on and a Cardinals jersey because I was born in Arizona. I’d stuff my jersey with socks, like pads. That was when they kind of knew that I wanted to play football and that I was one day going to be a football player. I just kind of used the track to help with that.
Rashid Shaheed
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The Track Stars Behind Rashid Shaheed: Haneef and Cassondra
Rashid Khalil Shaheed, the son of Haneef and Cassondra Shaheed, was born on August 31, 1998, in Phoenix, Arizona.
His parents raised him in a close-knit family alongside his two sisters, Amirah and Aysha.
Rashid’s remarkable speed is a part of his family’s heritage and hard work.
Haneef and Cassondra Shaheed were both former college track stars who created a home filled with athletic excellence and competitive drive.
Haneef was a sprinter at Arizona State University, while Cassondra Shaheed competed in the 400-meter hurdles at San Diego State University.
Their passion for track and field didn’t end with their own collegiate careers. Haneef continued to share his knowledge, later becoming a sprint coach at Madison High School in San Diego.
The married couple’s expertise shaped their children’s early development. They noticed Rashid’s athletic potential almost immediately as a toddler when he went from learning to walk to wanting to run everywhere.
Their household became a hub of athletic energy, with Amirah and Aysha also excelling in track and field. It created a friendly but fiercely competitive environment with family.
We thought it was interesting that he immediately wanted to run everywhere. And as two track athletes, we thought, ‘OK, well, you know, the genetics are there for sure.’
Haneef Shaheed
Despite their track background, Haneef and Cassondra’s greatest impact was in supporting a passion different from their own.
Rashid’s heart was set on football from a very young age. He would stuff socks into an Arizona Cardinals jersey to mimic football pads and run around the house with a helmet on.
He faced a major decision to accept a coveted track scholarship to USC or pursue his lone football scholarship offer from FCS school Weber State.
His parents believed a track career at a prestigious program like USC seemed like the obvious choice, but seeing their son’s deep emotion, they chose to support Rashid’s dream.
Him having that much emotion about it, let me know that, ‘OK, my dream of him running track is over.’ You know, it is really about him pursuing his passion. It was definitely some really, really serious conversations.
Haneef Shaheed
Despite the challenging path to the NFL, Haneef and Cassondra’s faith and support never wavered. They made sacrifices to attend his games, budgeting for travel on the chance he might play.
Rashid Shaheed’s success is a result of the unique foundation his parents built. They instilled the discipline and work ethic of elite track athletes while giving him the unwavering support to forge his own path.
