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Ahmad Rashad

Ahmad Rashad’s screen career does not follow the usual actor’s path. Born Robert Earl Moore on November 19, 1949, in Portland, Oregon, he first became known through football, then turned the confidence and conversational ease of a professional athlete into a long career in broadcasting and television. After moving with his family to Tacoma, Washington, Rashad played football at Mount Tahoma High School before accepting an athletic scholarship to the University of Oregon. He became an All-American running back in 1971 and entered the NFL as the fourth selection in the 1972 draft. His professional career included time with the St. Louis Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings. With Minnesota, he made four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1978 through 1981. His December 1980 Hail Mary reception against the Cleveland Browns became known as the “Miracle at the Met.” Television became Rashad’s second act. Following his football career, he worked as a studio anchor and game reporter on NFL, NBA and MLB broadcasts for NBC and ABC. He was particularly closely associated with basketball coverage, hosting NBA Inside Stuff for 16 seasons and later NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad. His television work also expanded beyond sports: he hosted Real TV, Celebrity Mole, Caesars Challenge and the first season of Tug of Words. Acting has been a smaller but distinct part of that screen career. Rashad appeared in an episode of Monsters and made guest appearances on several television shows. Those roles sit naturally alongside a broadcasting career built on being comfortable in front of the camera, whether interviewing athletes, presenting highlights or stepping into an entertainment format. Rather than separating athlete, commentator, host and actor into different identities, Rashad’s career shows how each informed the next.