Antwaan Randle El
A multi-sport wizard whose electrifying trick-play touchdown pass in Super Bowl XL forever cemented his place in Pittsburgh Steelers folklore.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American football player and coach·Birthday: August 17·Generation X
Biography
Antwaan Randle El defied the conventional athlete's path. At Indiana University, he wasn't just a star quarterback; he was a two-sport phenomenon, also playing point guard for the basketball Hoosiers. The NFL saw his athleticism but not his arm, drafting him as a wide receiver and return specialist. In Pittsburgh, he became the ultimate weapon. His background as a quarterback was no secret, and the Steelers weaponized it, designing trick plays that kept defenses guessing. The pinnacle came in Super Bowl XL, where Randle El took a reverse and launched a perfect 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward, a play that shattered the game open and became an instant classic. His career, which also included stints in Washington and a return to Pittsburgh, is a testament to versatility and football intelligence, proving that the most dangerous players are often those who can rewrite the playbook on the fly.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Antwaan was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Antwaan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Antwaan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Threw a 43-yard touchdown pass on a trick play in Super Bowl XL, helping the Pittsburgh Steelers win the championship.
- Was a first-team All-American as a quarterback at Indiana University in 2001.
- Led the NFL in punt return yards (464) and average (13.0) during the 2003 season.
- Played in 124 NFL games over nine seasons as a receiver and return specialist.
Did You Know?
He was also a standout basketball player at Indiana, playing under coach Bob Knight.
He and his brother, Marcus, are the only siblings to both throw a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.
He was a high school baseball standout and was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 1997 MLB draft.
After football, he worked as a football analyst for the Big Ten Network.
“When they called the play, I just said, 'Thank you, Lord.'”
