Lightning-fast reflexes and explosive speed aren’t just skills Rashid Shaheed picked up along the way – they’re practically in his DNA. The New Orleans Saints wide receiver, who recently inked a one-year, $5.2 million contract extension, comes from a family where sprinting is as natural as breathing.

Haneef and Cassondra Shaheed, Rashid’s parents, were track stars in their own right. Haneef blazed the path as a sprinter at Arizona State, while Cassondra conquered the 400-meter hurdles at San Diego State. Their athletic abilities set up their family’s heritage of speed and competition. Haneef currently helps to train young athletes as a coach for sprinters at Madison High School in San Diego where he imparts them with what he learned on track.

The Shaheed family’s athletic journey from track stars to football mentors

The moment his little feet took off walking, Rashid’s parents knew that they had a potential runner on their hands. “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 recalled to ESPN. But young Rashid had other plans brewing.

While his parents envisioned a future filled with track meets, Rashid was busy stuffing socks into his Cardinals jersey, mimicking football pads. “I used to run around the house with a helmet on and a Cardinals jersey because I was born in Arizona,” Rashid shared. This early sign of his football dreams would later spark some “really, really serious conversations” in the Shaheed household.

The family’s move from Arizona to California when Rashid was in preschool added another layer to his sports journey. Despite the relocation, the Shaheed home remained a hub of athletic energy. Haneef and Cassondra’s expertise in sprinting and hurdling shaped their children’s early athletic development, even as Rashid’s heart turned towards football.

But it wasn’t just Rashid who had a competitive spirit running through his blood. Amirah and Aysha, his sisters, are also good athletes in track and field. For instance, Aysha has just ended her junior year as a member of Cal’s record-breaking 4×100 meter relay team. On the other hand, she is coached by her dad at Madison High School and is making headlines as a first-team All-CIF sprinter while still being only a sophomore in high school. This athletic prowess leads to some lively dinner table debates. As stated by Haneef “It is very, very competitive with them. They bring it up all the time — who has more championships, and who has more patches on their jacket, who was the fastest comparably … or who did better at the state championship. Those conversations still go on daily.”

A family’s support from college gridiron to NFL stardom

Despite their background in track and field athletics, their impact on Rashid’s football career has been deep. From track to turf without skipping any beat; discipline hard work and excellence were instilled into him courtesy of his parents’ involvement in sports. Haneef’s present role as a high school track coach of course could not help but deepen these roots.

The decision to pursue football wasn’t an easy one for Rashid. Choosing Weber State over a potential track scholarship at USC raised eyebrows. Haneef admits, “If you weigh those two things, track at USC versus football at FCS, as a parent, you kind of look at your kid like, ‘What are you talking about? It’s not even a question.'” But Rashid’s determination won out. But they supported his passion, even if it diverged from their athletic paths.

Becoming a four-time All-American wideout at Weber State, he broke the FBS record for kickoff returns for touchdowns (7).

His path to the NFL had its challenges. With an ACL tear in his last college game came reduced interest from pro teams. Nevertheless, Rashid signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2022. This was possible mainly because of his parents’ uncompromising support which saw them make sacrifices to attend all his games.

Their faith paid off spectacularly. In his NFL debut against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rashid scored a 44-yard rushing touchdown. The following week, he caught a 53-yard touchdown pass against the Arizona Cardinals. Haneef described the moment: “For him to know that play was coming and to see it happen in person, it was kind of slow motion for me. I was like, ‘Look, he’s open. The ball’s on the way. Oh, he’s going to catch this.’ It was just unreal.”

Fast forward to July 2024, and Rashid’s star keeps shining bright. His recent contract extension with the Saints is a testament to hard work and character built by the groundwork laid by his parents. In 2023, he registered an impressive stat line of 46 catches for 719 yards and five touchdowns. “They’re insane,” said Kodi Burns, wide receivers coach of New Orleans Saints…“We got to put them on a line and see who runs the 40 and the hundred faster.”