Raghib Ramadan “Rocket” Ismail is featured as one of the members of the cast in the CMT network’s reality television series Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge. He is a former professional football player who was born on November 18, 1969 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He was raised in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and first gained attention as a receiver for the University of Notre Dame, later on also playing for both the NFL and the CFL. Ismail stands at 5’ 11” tall, and the combination of his speed and his powerful hands made him a highly proficient kick returner in addition to being a receiver.
He has recorded two 1,000-yard receiving seasons during his stint on the NFL, as well as being a CFL All-Star back in 1991. Ismail was also considered the most valuable player of the 79th Grey Cup. Back in 2004, the website CollegeFootballNews.com picked him as their #75 player for their list of the Top 100 Greatest College Football Players of All Time. His most notable characteristic was his running speed, yet physical injuries over the years reduced his abilities, and he was retired from official playing at only the age of 33. Ismail has played for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, the Los Angeles / Oakland Raiders, the Carolina Panthers, and the Dallas Cowboys.
(Photo courtesy of Ron Jaffe/CMT)