- Napoleon McCallum
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Napoleon McCallum 
Date of birth: October 6, 1963 Place of birth: Jefferson City, Missouri , United States Career information Position(s): Running back College: Navy NFL Draft: 1986 / Round: 4/ Pick 108 Organizations As player: 1986, 1990-1994 Los Angeles Raiders Playing stats at NFL.com College Football Hall of Fame Napoleon Ardel McCallum (born on October 6, 1963 in Jefferson City, Missouri) is a former professional American football running back who played for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1986 and from 1990 to 1994. McCallum went to Milford High School (Ohio) near Cincinnati, Ohio and played college football for the U.S. Naval Academy.
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McCallum attended the U.S. Naval Academy where he played football and was the star tailback, punt returner and kick returner. In the second game of his senior year, McCallum suffered a season ending injury to his ankle. McCallum was granted an additional season eligibility by the NCAA and the Naval Academy. During his time at Navy, he was a two-time consensus All-American and set an NCAA record with 7,172 career all-purpose yards. He is also the career rushing leader at Navy with 4,179 yards. Napoleon McCallum was a member of the US Naval Academy Midshipmen football team that traveled to the Rose Bowl site in 1983 to face the US Military Academy Cadets football team in Pasadena, CA. The only Army vs. Navy game out west ever, the City of Pasadena footed the tab for over 9.000 personnel from both institutions. Incidentally he scored two touchdowns in that 48-13 victory.
McCallum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
At practice
McCallum was a computer science major at the USNA and in 1986 held 16 football records there.[1]
Pro career
In 1986, McCallum played for the Los Angeles Raiders while splitting duty with the United States Navy before having to spend his 5-year commitment with the Navy. He rushed for his season-high NFL totals with 536 yards while splitting playing time with incumbent Marcus Allen.
After serving his duty with the Navy until 1990, McCallum rejoined the Raiders. His playing time was limited as he played special teams and as a short-yardage specialty back. In the 1993 playoffs, he rushed for 3 touchdowns in a wild-card victory over the Denver Broncos.
He was stationed onboard the USS Peleliu (LHA-5).
Injury
On September 5, 1994, during a Monday Night Football contest and the Raiders' opening game of the season at the San Francisco 49ers, McCallum's career ended prematurely when 49ers linebacker Ken Norton Jr. twisted him to the ground. McCallum's cleat stuck in the ground, forcing his knee into a horrible dislocation. Norton lay pinned underneath a motionless McCallum for a couple of minutes while trainers attended to McCallum.[2]
McCallum suffered a complete hyperextension of his left knee, almost to a right angle. He suffered a ruptured artery in his left knee, and tore three ligaments, tore the calf and hamstring from the bone, and suffered nerve damage in the knee. McCallum was told that if the surgery did not go as planned, there was a chance his left leg would have been amputated.[3]
After football
McCallum moved to Henderson, Nevada in 1996 and started a computer graphics business. He is also an avid golfer.[4][5]
References
- ^ Hoffman, Phil. "Photograph caption on the Defense Visual Information Center web site". http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/DVIC_View/Still_Details.cfm?SDAN=DNST8602357&JPGPath=/Assets/Still/1986/Navy/DN-ST-86-02357.JPG. Retrieved 2008-04-05.
- ^ Video footage of Napoleon McCallum's Injury
- ^ Crowe, Jerry (January 18, 2010). "After grim NFL injury, Napoleon McCallum remained buoyant". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/18/sports/la-sp-crowe18-2010jan18/2. Retrieved 2010-10-18.
- ^ Dewey, Todd. "Napoleon McCallum now takes to the links while living in Vegas". LasVegasGolf.com. http://www.lasvegasgolf.com/departments/features/napoleon-mccallum-golf.htm. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
- ^ Jacob, Matt (23 November 1997). "Former Raider lucky he still has two legs". Las Vegas Review-Journal. http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1997/Nov-23-Sun-1997/sports/6475384.html. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
1985 College Football All-America Team consensus selections Offense QB Chuck Long | RB Reggie Dupard | RB Bo Jackson | RB Napoleon McCallum | RB Thurman Thomas | RB Lorenzo White | WR Tim McGee | WR David Williams | TE Willie Smith
OT Jim Dombrowski | OT Brian Jozwiak | G Jeff Bregel | G Jamie Dukes | G J. D. Maarleveld | G John Rienstra | C Peter AndersonDefense DL Tony Casillas | DL Tim Green | DL Mike Hammerstein | DL Leslie O'Neal | DL Mike Ruth
LB Brian Bosworth | LB Johnny Holland | LB Larry Station
DB Brad Cochran | DB David Fulcher | DB Scott ThomasSpecial teams K John Lee | P Barry HeltonCategories:- 1963 births
- Living people
- People from Jefferson City, Missouri
- African American players of American football
- American football running backs
- Los Angeles Raiders players
- Navy Midshipmen football players
- United States Naval Academy alumni
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