Former NFL players of Iranian descent speak up for freedom from Islamic regime

Ali Haji-Sheikh and Shar Pourdanesh stock the information they are retired NFL players surviving beyond the glow of the NFL spotlight. But they besides stock different favoritism tying them to existent events: They are portion of the Iranian diaspora hoping for the downfall of the Islamic revolution.

They marque up portion of a tiny radical of men who played successful the NFL – on with David Bakhtiari, his member Eric Bakhtiari and T.J. Housmandzadeh – who are decedents of Iranians.

Washington Redskins kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh (6) talks to reporters astatine Jack Murphy Stadium during media time anterior to Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos. San Diego, California, connected Jan. 26, 1988.(Darr Beiser/USA TODAY Sports)

Haji-Sheikh: Self-Determination For Iranians

Haji-Sheikh, 65, played successful the 1980s for the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He was a first-team All-Pro, made the Pro Bowl and was connected the NFL All-Rookie squad successful 1983 for the Giants and, successful his last season, won a Super Bowl XXII ringing playing for the Washington Redskins and kicking six other points successful a 42-10 blowout of the Denver Broncos.

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Now, Haji-Sheikh is the wide manager astatine a Michigan Porsche-Audi dealership and is similar the remainder of us: Keeping up with satellite events erstwhile clip permits. 

Except the warfare the United States is presently waging against the Islamic Republic of Iran is benignant of antithetic due to the fact that Haji-Sheikh's dada emigrated from Iran to the United States successful the 1950s and built a beingness here.

And his lad would similar to spot state travel to a state he's ne'er visited but has a kinship to.

"It's a satellite event," Haji-Sheikh said connected Monday. "I americium not a large instrumentality of the Islamic gyration due to the fact that I americium not Islamic. I would similar to spot the radical of Iran beryllium capable to find their ain aboriginal alternatively than it beryllium determined by a fewer people. It would beryllium bully to spot them having a unchangeable authorities wherever the radical tin really determine however they privation it to go.

Green Bay Packers kicker Al Del Greco (10) talks with New York Giants kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh (6) connected Sept. 15, 1985, astatine Lambeau Field successful Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Giants 23-20.

Iranians Celebrating And Americans Protesting

Haji-Sheikh hasn't taken to the streets of his autochthonal Michigan to observe a liberation that hasn't afloat manifested specified days aft the American and Israeli bombing and elimination of the Ayatollah. 

"I'm truthful acold removed from that," Haji-Sheikh said. "My ma is from Michigan and of Eastern European background. My dada is from Iran. But it's like, helium hasn't been backmost since I was successful eighth grade, truthful that's a agelong clip ago. That was erstwhile the Shah was inactive successful power, mid-70s, ‘74 oregon ’75, due to the fact that if helium ever went backmost aft that helium ne'er would person left. They would person held him, truthful determination was nary volition of going back.

"But if things alteration helium mightiness privation to go, you ne'er know."

Despite being removed from immoderate activism astir what is happening successful Iran Haji-Sheikh is an astute observer.

"My favourite happening I'm seeing close present connected TV is the Iranians successful America celebrating due to the fact that there's a chance, a glimpse, possibly a anticipation for freedom," Haji-Sheikh said. "And you person these radical successful New York protesting. What are you protesting?"

Pourdanesh Thanks America, Israel

Pourdanesh retired from the NFL successful 2000 aft a seven-year vocation with the Redskins and Steelers. The six-foot-six and 312-pound violative tackle was calved successful Tehran. He proudly tells radical helium was the NFL's archetypal Iranian-born player.

Pourdanesh is overmuch much disposable and unfastened astir his feelings astir his state than others. And, bottommost line, helium loves that President Donald Trump is bombing the Islamic regime.

"This is simply a large time for each Iranians crossed the world," Pourdanesh posted connected his Instagram relationship connected Saturday erstwhile the warfare began. "Thank you, President Trump, convey you to the federation of Israel. Thank you for everybody that has been lasting up for my people, my brothers and sisters successful Iran crossed the world. This is simply a large day.

"The infamous dictator is dormant – the 1 idiosyncratic who has contributed to deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iranians and different radical astir the world, if not more. So, congratulations to my Iranian brothers and sisters. Now, spell and instrumentality backmost the country."

This connection was not a one-off. Pourdanesh has been posting astir what has been happening successful Iran since January, erstwhile radical successful Iran took to the streets demanding liberty and the government's thugs began sidesplitting them, with immoderate estimates rising to 36,500 deaths.

Offensive lineman Shar Pourdanesh (68) of the Pittsburgh Steelers blocks against antiaircraft lineman Jevon Kearse (90) of the Tennessee Titans during a crippled astatine Three Rivers Stadium connected Sept. 24, 2000, successful Pittsburgh. The Titans defeated the Steelers 23-20. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

‘Islam Does Not Represent The Iranian People’

"[The] Islamic Republic does not correspond the Iranian people," Pourdanesh said successful different post. "Islam does not correspond the Iranian people. For astir 50 years, the Iranian radical and our state of Iran has been taken hostage by a violent regime, and it's clip to instrumentality that authorities down."

Pourdanesh was not disposable for remark connected Monday. I did talk to a fistful of different Iranian-Americans connected Monday. They didn't play successful the NFL, but their opinions are nary little invaluable than those of erstwhile NFL players.

And these people, immoderate of them participating successful rallies connected behalf of a escaped Iran, bash not recognize the reasoning of immoderate Americans and mainstream media.

One complained that media that reports connected reparations for achromatic Americans based connected slavery successful the 1800s dismisses the Islamic takeover of the American Embassy successful 1979 arsenic an aged grievance.

Another said his member lives successful England, wherever Prime Minister Keir Starmer instantly called the American and Israeli attacks connected the Ayatollah's authorities "illegal" but, arsenic the caput of the Crown Prosecution Service took years to bash the aforesaid of Muslim rape (grooming) gangs successful the country.

(Starmer announced a nationalist "statutory inquiry" successful June 2025). 

Offensive lineman Shar Pourdanesh of the Washington Redskins looks connected from the sideline during a crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers astatine Three Rivers Stadium connected Sept. 7, 1997, successful Pittsburgh. The Steelers defeated the Redskins 14-13. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

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Pourdanesh Calls Out NFL Silence

And finally, Pourdanesh enactment the NFL connected blast. He said successful yet different station that during his career, the NFL asked him to grant achromatic history, asked him to basal for women's rights, asked him to combat for equality for those who cannot support themselves.

"I did everything they asked, and present I inquire the NFL this: Where are you now? Why haven't we heard a azygous connection retired of the NFL? NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell, each the NFL teams retired there, each the players who accidental they basal for societal justice, wherever are you now?

"Why haven't we heard a azygous connection retired of you with respect to the radical who person been killed arsenic of today? The precise values you assertion to espouse are being trampled close now. Why haven't we heard a azygous word?"

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