Interesting Story on a Backup

Dolphins' QB Gibran Hamdan can handle tough times

By Matt Baker
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 9 2007

Gibran Hamdan is fighting for a job. With starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper hurt, Hamdan is second on the Dolphins' depth chart behind Cleo Lemon. But with the addition of rookie John Beck and the expected arrival of Kansas City's Trent Green, Hamdan's days in South Florida could be numbered. Hamdan isn't worried about losing his shot with the Dolphins. He's lost much more than that before. As a child and as a quarterback, Hamdan has been just about everywhere. He was born in San Diego, the son of a Palestinian father and Pakistani mother. His parents met when his dad was on a business trip in Pakistan. He was 36. She was 16. Three months later, they were married and eventually settled in California. They moved again three years after Gibran was born when his father took a job in Kuwait. He made enough as a nuclear engineer to support the family and afford a summer home in San Diego. The Hamdans were vacationing there in 1991 after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Their neighborhood was caught in the crossfire of falling bombs. The Hamdans' home, savings and belongings were all destroyed. "It didn't occur to me how serious the situation was until I got older," said Hamdan, 26. "I still look at my dad and am amazed at how well he handled the situation. All his life he had saved money, built a family, built a home. All of that got taken away from him for no reason of his." Times were tough as Hamdan's family started over in San Diego. His dad was out of work, overqualified for most available jobs. His mother cut hair at Fantastic Sam's to pay the bills. Because he left most of his clothes in Kuwait, Hamdan wore the same Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt for two straight weeks. "That was tough because I was the new kid and wasn't like everybody else," Hamdan said. "But I think that's helped me now in life be comfortable in a lot of different situations." While his family struggled in San Diego, the NFL was the furthest thing from Hamdan's mind. He didn't pick up a football until gym class in eighth grade, and he was cut from his high school's freshman team. Hamdan was a walk-on quarterback at Indiana under Dolphins coach Cam Cameron but only entered games as a holder during his first four seasons. Even after starter Antwaan Randle El left for the NFL, Hamdan was an afterthought, starting only eight games for the Hoosiers in his fifth year. He never thought he had a shot at the NFL until an agent called him after the season ended. The Washington Redskins drafted Hamdan in the middle of the seventh round in 2003 but released him in training camp the next year. He failed to make the Seahawks' final roster in 2005 and spent two months with the 49ers' practice squad last year before joining the Seahawks in October. In four NFL seasons, he has played in one game, completing 1 of 2 passes for 7 yards against the Eagles in 2003. He signed with the Dolphins in February. Injuries have spoiled Hamdan's best chances to impress scouts. He started four games for NFL Europa's Amsterdam Admirals in 2005 before a broken collarbone ended his season. He was named Offensive MVP last season and broke the league record with a 113.4 passer rating, but an ankle injury kept him out of the league championship. But Hamdan's past keeps his football struggles in perspective. "I don't have a family or anything, but I can't imagine losing everything I have for no reason," Hamdan said. "The respect and honor I have for my family and parents and how they handled it is foremost in my mind at all times." His college roommate, Dolphins tight end Aaron Halterman, said Hamdan's past has helped him keep fighting for a spot on an NFL roster. "He's definitely a competitor," Halterman said. "He'll come out and do everything he can do to win a game, and I think that's what he's all about, just being a competitor." But Hamdan also has a laid-back side. He kids around with teammates in the locker room about shampooing their shaved heads and cracks jokes during team meetings. "The good thing about him is he can joke one second, and the next second he can be serious about getting the job done," Beck said. "And I think that's the attitude you have to have as a quarterback." It's also the attitude you have to have if you've been through what Hamdan has. Losing a job as NFL quarterback? That's nothing. Hamdan joked that he can't even remember how many times he's been cut from a roster. But losing what your family spent a lifetime building? That's something you can never forget. Matt Baker can be reached at mwbaker@sun-sentinel.com.