Rashard Mendenhall Stars in NFL's Big Show

This is the first article of a two-part series featuring Rashard and Walter Mendenhall. Brothers separated by one year, the Skokie natives went on to the University of Illinois on football scholarships.

Skokie Patch caught up with both of them and talked about where their lives have taken them since graduating from Niles West.

There were no $54,000 dinner tabs and no shoulder-pad-carrying incidents. No ridiculous haircuts and no practices that ended being duct taped to a goalpost.

But that doesn't mean Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall was exempt from the team's rookie hazing.

"You have to bring breakfast in the mornings, doughnuts for the team," Mendenhall said. "There are little things you have to do, but nothing over the top though."

Evolving as NFL star 

Those were the minor changes Mendenhall had to make in his evolution in becoming an NFL superstar. The 23-year-old player, who carries 225 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame, has blossomed into one of the up-and-coming running backs in the league, making it to his second Super Bowl in two years.

Mendenhall led the Steelers to a 12-4 record during the regular season despite first-string quarterback Ben Roethlisberger being suspended by the NFL for the first four games because of his off-field misconduct. His 1,273 yards on 324 carriers and 13 touchdowns put him eighth in total rushing yards behind Tennessee running back Chris Johnson.

In the AFC playoff games, Mendenhall has proven himself equally as potent. He scored two touchdowns in the 31-24 victory against the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 15 and another touchdown in the 24-19 win over the New York Jets on Jan. 23. The latter game resulted in the Steelers heading to the Super Bowl, which is being played Sunday in Dallas.

So far the Steelers are 6-1 after playing in the NFL's showcase game--tops among the 30 teams that have made appearances. Their opponent, the Green Bay Packers, are 3-1.

To break any Super Bowl records, Mendenhall would have to rush for more than 204 yards or score more than three rushing touchdowns, among the possibilities. But people who saw him play at Niles West High School figure he will be in the record books eventually.

Starting at Niles West

Before he became Pittsburgh's newest young star, Mendenhall was tearing up the turf at Niles West. He was  rated as the No. 1 recruit in Illinois his senior year and participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. In addition to his football exploits, he also played basketball and ran track for the Wolves.

"Football was No. 1, I never could have played basketball in college," Mendenhall said. "But track, I could've run track."

He ultimately chose to go to the University of Illinois, deciding to attend the same school as his brother, Walter, who was recruited one year earlier.

"We both wanted to go somewhere close, somewhere we felt comfortable and Illinois was the best fit," Mendenhall said. "We liked Northwestern [University], but it was a little too close. Illinois was a good distance where it wasn't too far. When we went there to visit, it felt right."

After sharing the workload for his first two seasons at Illinois, Mendenhall rushed for a school record 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns in his junior year. He parlayed that success into a first-round selection with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL draft.

He has validated that lofty selection in only his third year in the league. Mendenhall was injured during his rookie campaign; the same year the Steelers won Super Bowl XLII. Mendenhall came into his own last season when he took over for Willie Parker and rushed for more than 1,000 yards and scored eight touchdowns.

But Mendenhall says the biggest adjustments for him have come off the field.

"You're a young kid coming from college and going through the professional ranks. There are a lot of things you have to take care outside of playing," Mendenhall said. "Being established in a new city and finding out what to do financially."

Improving his game 

Players and staff within the organization, such as Ray Jackson, who is responsible for player development, have helped Mendenhall in different aspects. Parker and former Steelers fullback Carey Davis were just a few of the players he went to for advice.

While Mendenhall trains in Chicago--where he has a downtown residence--during the off-season, the NFL schedule doesn't allow him much time to get back home. In the meantime, Mendenhall is focusing on what he can control: getting better as an NFL player each week.

"I expect the best out of myself and out of the team," Mendenhall said. "I don't know how many yards that means or how many wins, but game by game I'm doing everything I can to help the team."

Be sure to check out part two of this series, as Skokie Patch speaks to Walter Mendenhall. To check out the story, click here.