The three best NFL players who went to Fordham
Fordham University has a special place in NFL history, as it produced one of the greatest coaches in NFL history.
Vince Lombardi’s football journey began on campus as a player in the 1930s, before he went on to an illustrious NFL coaching career. Despite how prevalent Lombardi’s name is today, we don’t hear much about Fordham football or its other exports.
In honor of the school’s storied legacy, we’ll look at three of the most accomplished players to hail from the Rams’ football program.
Chase Edmonds
Many recent Fordham alums who have made the NFL have only hung around for a cup of coffee, but Edmonds did a nice job sticking around. Considering he’s a running back in the modern era, Edmonds’ shelf life was always expected to be quite limited. Although he’s played for four teams in six seasons, he’s proven a reliable option as a committee back.
He had a remarkably distinguished college career, finishing as the Patriot League’s all-time leading rusher. Edmonds was also the league’s all-time leader in total and rushing touchdowns for his career.
As he went through the NFL draft process, Edmonds likened himself to smaller backs who had success in the NFL, like Devonta Freeman or James White. He was excited to get into the professional ranks andcontribute in any way he could.
Ed Danowski
Well before the days of college football betting lines were a common point of discussion before a big game. Danowski was a star at Rose Hill and eventually took his talents to the NFL to play for the New York Giants. He was a two-time All-Pro for the Giants, for which he played for seven seasons from 1934 to 1941. He was also a two-time NFL champion before the NFL created the Super Bowl in the late 1960s.
Danowski played at Fordham from 1930 to 1933, and the team went 18-5-2 during his career with the program. He also coached at Fordham in 1946, when the school reinstated the football team after World War II. After nine seasons, Danowski resigned from his post as Fordham’s head football coach.
Isa Abdul-Quddus
Abdul-Quddus played in the secondary for the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins during his six-year NFL career. Perhaps his best year came in his final campaign with the Dolphins, where he set a career high in tackles with 78 and tied a career high for interceptions. Miami also started him in 15 games at strong safety, which was the most playing time he received in his career.
Abdul-Quddus’ NFL career was cut short, as he sustained a season-ending nerve injury that ultimately ended his professional career. His college career was decorated, as the versatile defender played cornerback for much of his time in college. Abdul-Quddus received several Patriot League honors, such as Rookie of the Week as a freshman in 2007, and was named Defensive Player of the Week in 2009 after a strong game against Cornell.
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