Rashaan Salaam Rashaan Iman Salaam ( born October 8 , 1974 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League ( NFL ) for four seasons during the 1990s . Salaam played college football for the University of Colorado and won the 1994 Heisman Trophy . He was picked by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft , and played professionally for the Bears and Cleveland Browns of the NFL . Early years . Salaam was born in San Diego , California . He attended La Jolla Country Day School in suburban San Diego , and played eight - man high school football . He ran for over 100 yards in every game except one , and was recognized as a high school All - American . He was later inducted into the school ' s athletic hall of fame . College career . Salaam attended the University of Colorado Boulder , where he played for the Colorado Buffaloes football team from 1992 to 1994 . As a junior in 1994 , Salaam had one of the best individual seasons in college football history , rushing for a school - record 2 , 055 yards and becoming only the fourth college running back to run for more than 2 , 000 yards in a season . He also amassed 24 touchdowns and helped lead Colorado to an 11 – 1 record , including a 41 – 24 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the 1995 Fiesta Bowl , and a No . 3 finish in the final Associated Press Poll . The Buffaloes ' only loss of the season was to the Big Eight Conference rival Nebraska Cornhuskers , which would finish undefeated and No . 1 in both the Associated Press and United Press International polls at season ' s end . Salaam had four consecutive 200 - yard rushing games during the season , his best effort coming against the Texas Longhorns , when he set a school record with 362 yards total offense in a 34 – 31 Colorado win in Austin . He was a unanimous first - team All - American and became Colorado ' s first Heisman Trophy winner in December , besting running back Ki - Jana Carter and quarterback Kerry Collins of Penn State . Salaam decided to forgo his final season of college eligibility and entered the NFL Draft . Professional career . The Chicago Bears selected Salaam in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft , and he played for the Bears from to . As a rookie , he rushed for over 1 , 000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns . But problems with injuries , fumbles , and marijuana use led him to spend only three years with the Bears . During his two final years with Chicago , Salaam mustered only 608 combined yards . Salaam spent 1999 with the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers , but only played in two games for the Browns that year . Salaam briefly played in the XFL for the Memphis Maniax , but injury cut his season short and the league folded after one season . He was the fourth - most prolific rusher in the league with 528 yards . After his stint with the Maniax , he tried out for the NFL ' s Detroit Lions , but did not make the team . Salaam launched what appeared to be a final attempt at an NFL career in , beginning with a much publicized training at the Cris Carter Speed School . He was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers in but in August 2003 , Salaam was subsequently let go by the 49ers in the second - to - last round of cuts . Despite receiving accolades from then 49ers head coach Dennis Erickson , Salaam was never signed by another NFL team . Salaam was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League ( CFL ) on February 20 , 2004 . He was then suspended by the Argos in May , effectively ending his career . NFL Records . Youngest player in NFL history to rush for 1000 yards - 21 years , 77 days old