Rashid Shaheed has braved several odds to arrive at the threshold of history, one game away from Super Bowl glory. While his path to this milestone has been anything but smooth, it is important to note that Shaheed is from a family of celebrated athletes.
His parents, Haneef and Cassondra, are undoubtedly the earliest athletic influences on Shaheed. But who are Rashid Shaheed’s parents? And how did they influence his interest and journey as an athlete?
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Who are Rashid Shaheed’s parents?
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Rashid Shaheed’s parents, Haneef and Cassondra, are track and field athletes. Haneef attended Arizona State University, where he was a sprinter, while Cossandra ran the 400-meter hurdles at the University of San Diego.
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After Shaheed, Haneef and Cossandra had two girls, Aysha and Amirah, who were also track runners. The wide receiver also started out as a track runner before convincing his parents to allow him to play football.
In a 2023 interview with ESPN, Haneef recalled how he and Cossandra noticed Shaheed’s athletic trait as a kid. He said:
“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.’”
Despite his talent and early involvement in track events, Shaheed’s interest in football has always been apparent. Haneef put it thus in an interview with Mile Split:
“He ran track, but it was always to get better in football.”
Haneef’s involvement in his kids’ athletic development saw him coaching Aysha at Madison High School. He has also coached the youth track team Havoc despite working remotely for Anthem Insurance. While admitting that it’s challenging working with the kids, he hasn’t lost sight of the bright side. He said:
“It’s a blessing and a curse, but on the plus side I’m just glad to be able to help. I’m here for the kids.”
Both of Shaheed’s sisters are now college track athletes, with Amirah running sprints at Oregon State while Aysha runs at Texas A&M. With a home full of athletes, there is bound to be some form of competitiveness. Haneef admits this, saying:
“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.”
However, when the Seahawks take the field against the Patriots on Sunday evening, Shaheed’s family will be united behind him and his teammates.
Edited by Kayode Akinwumi
