Ali Haji-Sheikh
No. 6 | |||||||||
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Position: | Kicker | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. | January 11, 1961||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 172 lb (78 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Arlington (Arlington, Texas) | ||||||||
College: | Michigan | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 1983 / Round: 9 / Pick: 237 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Ali S. Haji-Sheikh (born January 11, 1961) is an American former professional
While at Michigan, Haji-Sheikh set a Big Ten record with 78 consecutive extra points, and he broke the NFL record for the most field goals in a season, as a rookie during the 1983 NFL season.
Early years
Haji-Sheikh was born in
College career
Haji-Sheikh attended the University of Michigan from 1979 to 1982 as a placekicker for the Wolverines, and in 1986 earned a Bachelor of Science in geology.[2] While attending Michigan, he set a Big Ten record by successfully converting 76 consecutive extra points.[5] He also set the school records for career extra points (117) and field goals (31).[5]
Career statistics
Year | Team | GP | Field goals | Extra points | Total Points | |||||||
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FGA | FGM | FG% | Blk | Lng | XPA | XPM | XP% | Blk | ||||
1979 | Michigan Wolverines | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | — | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 0 | 4 |
1980 | Michigan Wolverines | 12 | 17 | 11 | 64.7 | 0 | — | 40 | 37 | 92.5 | 3 | 70 |
1981 | Michigan Wolverines | 0 | DNP | |||||||||
1982 | Michigan Wolverines | 12 | 15 | 12 | 80.0 | 0 | — | 41 | 41 | 100.0 | 0 | 77 |
Career | 36 | 38 | 23 | 60.5 | 0 | — | 85 | 82 | 96.5 | 3 | 151 |
Professional career
Haji-Sheikh was selected by the
In 1986, Haji-Sheikh joined the Atlanta Falcons after three seasons with the Giants. He appeared in six games for the Falcons, was successful on 9-of-12 field goal attempts, and converted 7-of-8 extra points.[1]
Haji-Sheikh was released by the Falcons in late August 1987.
NFL career statistics
Year | Team | GP | Field goals | Extra points | Total Points | |||||||
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FGA | FGM | FG% | Blk | Lng | XPA | XPM | XP% | Blk | ||||
1983 | NYG | 16 | 42 | 35 | 83.3 | 0 | 56 | 23 | 22 | 95.7 | 1 | 127 |
1984 | NYG | 16 | 33 | 17 | 51.5 | 0 | 48 | 35 | 32 | 91.4 | 3 | 83 |
1985 | NYG | 2 | 5 | 2 | 40.0 | 0 | 52 | 5 | 5 | 100.0 | 0 | 11 |
1986 | ATL | 6 | 12 | 9 | 75.0 | 0 | 47 | 8 | 7 | 87.5 | 1 | 34 |
1987 | WAS | 11 | 19 | 13 | 68.4 | 0 | 41 | 32 | 29 | 90.6 | 3 | 68 |
Career | 51 | 111 | 76 | 68.5 | 0 | 56 | 103 | 95 | 92.2 | 8 | 323 |
Personal life and later years
In 1984, Haji-Sheikh married Detroit native and fellow University of Michigan graduate Michele Blondin. As of 2016, the couple has five children. He now works in the luxury car business in Birmingham, Michigan, coaches travel soccer with Magic Soccer and trains upcoming kickers via his business Haji-Sheikh Kicking.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Ali Haji-Sheikh". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ^ a b "Contacts". The Dream Project. Retrieved September 14, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d Heika, Mike (August 26, 2006). "Arlington-ex getting kids off on the right foot as youth coach". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ "Faculty Profile: Dr. Abdolhossein Haji-Sheikh". Arlington, Texas: University of Texas at Arlington. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ^ a b "Haji-Sheikh puts best foot forward". The Michigan Daily. September 29, 1983. p. 11 – via Google News.
- ^ "NFL Single-Season Total Field Goals Made Leaders". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ "Falcons Cut Haji-Sheikh". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. August 27, 1987. p. 6C.
- ^ "Redskins sign Laufenberg, Haji-Sheikh". The Free Lance-Star. September 15, 1987. p. 9.