TAMPA - His clothing choices raise eyebrows. His beliefs prompt questions.
But there's one thing Umar Muhammad and his Storm teammates share: an appreciation for the fullback/linebacker's migraine-inducing hits.
Whether he is rushing a football or rushing a passer, Muhammad prefers the direct route, earning him the nickname "Headache."
"He's a very tough individual," coach Tim Marcum said. "He's hard-nosed. He'll just knock you."
Muhammad, signed April 8 to improve the pass rush, put a hurting on Austin during the April 18 58-52 overtime victory. He bulldozed for touchdowns of 1 and 2 yards and made three tackles, including two solo.
In a five-play span early in the third quarter, he made a tackle in the end zone on a kickoff to force a touchback and stuffed quarterback John Kaleo for no gain on second and goal from the 2.
Two weeks earlier, Muhammad, 28, was looking after his family in Dallas. Grand Rapids had not renewed his contract after last season, but Tampa Bay needed help at fullback/linebacker after David White and Basil Proctor were injured. And Marcum remembered Muhammad giving the Storm a "tough time" when he played with Indiana in 2001.
For Muhammad, it was like the answer to a prayer.
"I thank Allah for giving me the opportunity to play this sport again, and he's put me in a good position with a lot of veterans and guys who've got experience so that I can learn and better myself in this league," Muhammad said. "It's always good to come to a championship team. The atmosphere is very good, and I feel at home here."
Football is fine, but faith comes first for Muhammad, who pronounces his first name O-mar.
He describes what he practices as a form of Islam that follows the Koran and the Sunnah of the prophet Mohammed and the Companions of the Messenger. He says his peaceful beliefs bring balance to his life.
"I feel the more worship you do to God, the more time you spend pleasing him, the less problems that you have," Muhammad said. "And the more you get away from worshiping him, Satan will lure you to do things."
Muhammad wears traditional Muslim garb such as a kufi (KOO-fee), or round hat, and an ankle-length garment called a thawb (rhymes with robe); prompting teammates to ask about his faith.
"Basically, I tell them the difference between Christianity and Judaism, we all believe in the same God, but there comes a time where in Islam we say that we single out God alone," Muhammad said. "We don't associate any partners with him, and that's where the misunderstanding comes from, I would say, from other religions."
Though his faith defines him as a person, Muhammad said it does not always dictate his actions on the field.
"In some ways, it doesn't, and in some ways, it does," he said. "It gives me an opportunity to tell people about the greatness of Islam off the field. But when I'm on the field, you just have to have a different mentality.
"I get in a different zone when I'm on the field, and that's just the way I've been. I'm just slowly but surely trying to practice it on the field, too, but people are nasty out there. So in that respect, you have to defend yourself."
