🏈 🔵 How Raheem Mostert Overcame Adversity To Excel At The NFL Level
As a former two-star prospect by way of Purdue, I sat down with Mostert to discuss the highs and lows of his nine-year NFL career, including his recent breakout campaign with the Dolphins.
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How Raheem Mostert Overcame Adversity To Excel At The NFL Level
Hey friends,
Two weeks ago, I sat down with former Purdue running back Raheem Mostert during Super Bowl week.
Mostert landed on three NFL squads as an undrafted free agent in 2015, beginning with the Philadelphia Eagles during his rookie debut.
After eight years in the league, the Florida native recently put together one of the most impressive rushing campaigns in the last decade.
Through 15 matchups, Mostert tallied 18 rushing touchdowns — the most of any player in a single season since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.
From stringing together his first 1,000-yard season to becoming a backfield staple for the Miami Dolphins, Mostert and I touched upon his preparation, attitude as an underdog, and his journey to football’s biggest stage while in Las Vegas for the Big Game.
Here are my three favorite takeaways following my interview with Mostert:
Stay Present
The average shelf-life of an NFL running back is about 2.5 years.
When Mostert entered the league in 2015 as an undrafted free agent via Purdue, the multi-faceted weapon had plenty to offer in Chip Kelly’s spread system with the Eagles.
With the Boilermakers, Mostert entered his season senior ranked No. 3 on the program’s all-time kickoff return yards list.
That year, he shattered the previous record, compiling 731 yards on 34 returns. Additionally, he ripped off a career-high 529 yards on the ground on 5.7 yards per carry in limited action.
“I [entered the league] with Chip Kelly, and I felt like my attributes and my skillset could benefit that offense all the time,” Mostert said. “… I truly am thankful that I crossed paths with Kelly twice in the NFL [in] my rookie year and then in my second year when he was the head coach of the Niners.”
Thanks to Kelly’s recommendation, Mostert was able to remain with the San Francisco 49ers for six seasons from 2016 to 2021.
While it seemed as though Mostert would remain as a reserve piece for the remainder of his already lengthy NFL career, the speedster “remained present” in preparation for a breakout 2023 run.
One of Mostert’s career goals was to pick up a 1,000-yard rushing season. This year, he totaled 1,012 yards on nearly five yards per attempt.
He also led the league in rushing touchdowns and earned his first-ever Pro Bowl nod.
“Of course, you can’t take those moments for granted,” Mostert told me. “… For me, cherishing those moments is just being present, right? Being in the now during the season definitely helped me focus more so on my game each and every week.”
No matter how difficult previous trials and tribulations are, Mostert showed me that breakouts can happen at any point in a player’s career.
Carry Self Belief
Mostert’s NFL career represents nearly every high and low that football at the highest level has to offer.
From suiting up for seven different organizations to being cut to clear roster space, Mostert’s path to stardom was never direct.
Even as an undrafted free agent, his belief in his own on-field abilities never wavered.
“Like anything, I was the new kid on the block,” Mostert said on his path into an NFL locker room. “You know, you’re a rookie. You still have to have confidence and belief in yourself like, ‘Hey, I’m here for a purpose.’”
Through Mostert’s nine-year career, his self-belief continued to grow.
Over the last two years, Mostert picked up 54% of his career production in just 31 games with the Dolphins in 2022 and 2023.
He told me he’s continued to “elevate just a little bit more and more,” and there’s no denying his rapid ascension.
“Every year, I just find myself looking in the mirror and being thankful,” Mostert said. “And then this past year, me doing what I did, leading the league in touchdowns, [and] breaking franchise records for the most touchdowns with the Dolphins… I’m like, ‘Wow, I really did it.’”
With turnover and change at the center of the NFL landscape, Mostert proved that he’s been able to overcome all odds.
His longevity and drive to prove doubters wrong has been impressive to watch from afar.
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Let Your Moral Compass Guide You
Before diving into Mostert’s breakout regular season, I asked him about his childhood and upbringing.
As a product of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Mostert ranked as just a two-star recruit per 247Sports as a wide receiver prospect. He only received two Power Five offers before deciding on Purdue in 2011.
Aside from football, Mostert’s life at home was far from easy. He grew up in a household where domestic violence and alcoholism were the norm. To escape the lowliness, he often used football and the beach as a gateway out of reality.
“I didn’t necessarily have the silver spoon, as we call it, right?” Mostert told me. “… I came from a family that was always abusive. Domestic violence was something that was like, you know, the norm.”
In Mostert’s personal life, he used the hardships to show himself how differently he’d want to treat his wife and kids, which he now has.
“I felt like it helped build a callus for things that I didn’t want in life,” Mostert said. “… I want to treat my family with respect, I want to show my boys what it means to take care of a woman and not to talk back… And that was the standard for me, and I learned that.”
Before football was Mostert’s livelihood, it was his “getaway” from his troubled home situation. Whether it was on the field or on the beach just miles away from his home, the Pro Bowler used outlets to collect his thoughts, leading to his current string of successes.
“I’d say football definitely was a getaway, you know because I could take my aggression out on the opponent,” Mostert said. “… But I felt like the biggest motivation for me was getting away on the beach. That was my sanctuary.”
Fittingly, Mostert has morphed into a household name at the NFL level in South Beach, where he’ll enter 2024 as one of the league’s top feature backs.
To catch my entire interview with Mostert, click here.
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Shoutout to Connor Krause for helping to write this newsletter and putting it together!
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