University of Illinois Athletics

Rashard Mendenhall was the 2007 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Silver Football Award winner after leading the Illini to a Rose Bowl appearance. He earned First-Team All-Big Ten, and Third-Team All-America recognition his junior season before starting a six-year NFL career after being drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII. Mendenhall became an award-winning writer for HBO’s “Ballers” in his post-playing career. He rushed for 2,539 yards at Illinois and set the UI single-season record with 1,681 rushing yards in 2007 (now second) while earning team MVP honors.