Ahman Green

Ahman Rashad Green (born February 16, 1977) is a retired American football running back. He is the all-time leading rusher for the Green Bay Packers. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.

Green has also played for the Houston Texans, and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Packers.

Early years
Green was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and attended Omaha North before transferring to Omaha Central for high school. He was a high school All-American selection and state 'Player of the Year' as a senior.

College career
Green was a standout running back and three year starter for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was an integral component and key contributor on two national championship squads.

Freshman (1995)
As a freshman, Green was perhaps overshadowed by his backfield mates running back Lawrence Phillips and quarterback Tommie Frazier. But Green's freshman year at Nebraska was certainly a memorable one. He was a major contributor during Nebraska's 1995 Championship run. He rushed for 1,086 yards (still the school's single-season freshman rushing record) and 13 touchdowns on 141 carries (7.7 avg.) and was honored as a freshman All-America selection by Football News. In addition, he earned Big Eight all-conference and 'Freshman of the Year' honors.

Sophomore (1996)
During his sophomore season in 1996, Green compiled a team-leading 917 yards on 155 carries and seven touchdowns, despite a turf toe injury. It was during the 1996 season that he posted a career-high 214 yards against Iowa State University.

Junior (1997)
As a junior, Green garnered All-Big 12 Conference recognition and was named second-team All-America by the Associated Press and The Sporting News as Nebraska again captured the national championship. He was a finalist for the 'Doak Walker Award,' the annual honor for college football's top running back in 1997. During that campaign he carried the ball 278 times for 1,877 yards (6.8 avg.) and 22 touchdowns (a school record for juniors). He posted 12 consecutive 100-yard games, including three contests with over 200 yards (he also had 99 yards on nine carries in the opener against Akron).

During his collegiate career, Green compiled 3,880 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns, both totals good for second place on the Cornhuskers' all-time list. He also posted 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 35 catches. Green's most memorable collegiate performance was on January 2, 1998 in the Orange Bowl. He rushed for an Orange Bowl record 206 yards and two touchdowns in 42-17 Orange Bowl victory over third ranked Tennessee, breaking the previous 20 year old record of 205 yards held by Arkansas running back Roland Sales. The tandem of Scott Frost and Green easily outperformed Tennessee's offensive stars: Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis and Peerless Price. The exceedingly lopsided and decisive nature of this victory contrasted sharply with the also unbeaten Michigan Wolverines' close Rose Bowl victory over the Ryan Leaf's Washington State squad. The discrepancy between the bowl game performances of these two undefeated teams allowed Nebraska to rally from behind in the polls, where Nebraska had fallen behind Michigan after Nebraska's close overtime victory over Missouri, and claim a share of the national title. The performance marked the Cornhuskers' record-setting third national championship in four years.

Seattle Seahawks
Green was drafted in the third round (76th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Although Green produced a high rushing average (6.0 in 1998 and 4.6 in 1999) he had difficulty earning significant playing time behind established veteran Ricky Watters.

Green Bay Packers
In 2000, Green was traded along with a fifth round draft pick to the Green Bay Packers for Fred Vinson and a sixth round pick. He was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl every year from 2001 to 2004 and broke several franchise records. From the time he joined the Packers in 2000 up through the end of the 2004 season, Green gained more yards from scrimmage (9,036) and rushing yards (6,848) than any other NFL player. In 2003, he had his best year as a professional and set the Green Bay franchise record by running for 1,883 yards in the regular season. He threw a touchdown pass on October 17, 2004 vs. the Detroit Lions. During his time with the Packers, Green became one of two players in NFL history to have two touchdown runs of 90 or more yards (Bo Jackson is the other). Despite his injury-shortened 2005 season, the Packers re-signed Green to a one-year, $2 million contract, with an extra $3 million in incentives. After the 2006 season he became a free agent.

Houston Texans
On March 4, 2007 Green signed a four-year, $23 million deal with the Houston Texans. He was reunited with his former head coach and former Texans' assistant head coach Mike Sherman along with former Packers running back Samkon Gado. He was asked to handle the bulk of the load at running back after a 2006 season in which the Texans used a "running back by committee" approach, with a lot of success.

On February 10, 2009, Green was released by the Texans.

Return to Green Bay
Ahman Green officially re-signed with the Green Bay Packers on October 21, 2009 after the Packers placed running back DeShawn Wynn on injured reserve. With his former number, 30, taken by fullback John Kuhn, Green chose to wear No. 34 in honor of former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton. On November 8, 2009 Green broke Jim Taylor's record to become the all time leading rusher in Packer history.

Omaha Nighthawks
In an interview on radio station KOZN, Green publicly campaigned to join the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. Green was subsequently included in the Nighthawks' 40-man protected roster. As with the Packers, Green is the all-time leading rusher for the Omaha Nighthawks.

Montreal Alouettes
On February 7, 2011, the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League announced they signed Green to a tryout contract. On March 9, 2011, it was announced that he had signed a two-year contract with the Alouettes. Green was released on the first day of training camp on June 5, 2011.

Fumbles
Green has struggled with a reputation for being fumble-prone though later on in his NFL career he fumbled less. Former Green Bay star LeRoy Butler cited the left-handed Green's unwillingness to switch the ball to his right arm when running plays to the right side. He has incorporated special arm bands to help keep the ball in his control. It has also been said that Green possibly has a condition called hyperhidrosis, which is the overproduction of sweat, and that this has also contributed to his tendency to fumble. Green has dismissed that notion as simply an excuse and a non-issue.

Personal
Green was named after former NFL wide receiver and current broadcaster Ahmad Rashad.