| Rick Badanjek | |
| Number: | 26, 33, 47 |
| Position: | Running back |
| Birth Date: | April 25, 1962 |
| Birth Place: | Warren, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 8 |
| Weight Lb: | 217 |
| High School: | Chalker (Southington Township) |
| College: | Maryland |
| Draftyear: | 1986 |
| Draftround: | 7 |
| Draftpick: | 186 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Rushing yards |
| Statvalue1: | 87 |
| Statlabel2: | Rushing average |
| Statvalue2: | 3.0 |
| Statlabel3: | Touchdowns |
| Statvalue3: | 1 |
| Pfr: | BadaRi00 |
Richard Alan Badanjek (born April 25, 1962) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and Atlanta Falcons. Having grown up the son of interracial parents, he was a 1981 graduate of Chalker High School in the tiny rural town of Southington, Ohio, where he led the Wildcats to their best season in school history his senior year at 9-1, winning Team MVP.[1] He ran for 5,336 yards throughout his four years at the prep level, including over 2,000 yards and winning the OHSAA Class A Offensive Back of the Year his senior season.[2] [3] In a game against Ledgemont High School in 1980, Badanjek rushed for around 475 yards, en route to a 45-8 victory. [4]
He played college football at the University of Maryland and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1986 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders).[5] He played in Washington for one season before being traded to the Atlanta Falcons, where he started two games during the NFLPA strike of 1987.[6] That year, he rushed for 87 yards on 29 carries and caught 6 passes for 35 yards, while running for a three-yard touchdown in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers. [7]
Graduating from Chalker High School, after an illustrious career at the small school, Badanjek committed to the University of Maryland.
| Year | School | Conference | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||
| 1982 | Maryland | ACC | RB | 11 | 62 | 274 | 4.4 | 9 | 5 | 53 | 10.6 | 0 | |
| 1983 | Maryland | ACC | RB | 11 | 131 | 635 | 4.8 | 8 | 26 | 296 | 11.4 | 1 | |
| 1984 | Maryland | ACC | RB | 11 | 173 | 832 | 4.8 | 15 | 20 | 174 | 8.7 | 1 | |
| 1985 | Maryland | ACC | RB | 11 | 155 | 676 | 4.4 | 12 | 18 | 166 | 9.2 | 0 | |
| Career | 521 | 2417 | 4.6 | 44 | 69 | 689 | 10.0 | 2 | |||||
Badanjeck was drafted 186th in the seventh round in the 1986 NFL draft by Washington.[8]
| Season | Age | Team | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | GP | GS | Att | Yds | Lng | TD | Fmb | Rec | Yds | Lng | TD | ||||
| 1986 | 24 | WAS | RB | 26 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | ||
| 1987 | 25 | ATL | RB | 33 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 87 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 35 | 16 | 0 | |
| 1988 | 26 | ATL | RB | 47 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | ||
| Career | 14 | 2 | 29 | 87 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 35 | 0 | |||||||