At the height of his playing career, Trent Richardson was unstoppable. The 5-foot-9 running back resembled a bowling ball when he toted the rock for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Richardson attended Escambia High School in Pensacola, Florida, before going on to win two national championships in Tuscaloosa under Nick Saban, setting the program single-season rushing record (later broken by Derrick Henry) and scoring 24 total touchdowns as a junior before the Cleveland Browns selected him with the third-overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. However, he quickly failed to live up to his hype.
After suffering a torn meniscus in the 2012 BCS National Championship game against LSU, Richardson wasn't the same. His speed declined following knee surgery and the Browns found out that he wasn't worth his four-year, $20 million contract. Cleveland traded him to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick the following year, which they used to take Johnny Manziel. Looks like no one won that trade!
Richardson, who is still just 30 years old, played his final snap in the NFL back in 2014. He received chances with the Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens and spent time in three other professional football leagues. Where is the former Alabama running back now?
Trent Richardson Now
Photo by John McCoy/AAF/Getty Images
RELATED: Terrence "Mount" Cody Dominated at Alabama, But Where is He Now?
Richardson is still playing football in 2022.
He headed south of the border and signed with the Caudillos de Chihuahua of the Liga de Fútbol Americano de Mexico in 2021. The team announced the addition in February 2021 and he recently spoke to reporters in May about his role as a player.
"A lot of people don't get this opportunity," Richardson said, via the Dothan Eagle. "It's huge, and I know they think I'm doing them a favor but they're definitely doing me a favor."
The former Alabama football star is continuing to make waves for the Caudillos, who very much use Richardson as the face of their franchise. While this may make some football fans roll their eyes, it's actually nice to see Richardson happy playing professional football in Mexico. When you're a college football star who struggled to find the same success in the NFL, sometimes just being able to play the game you love with no strings attached is the biggest gift of all.
Previously, when the Alliance of American Football kicked off in 2019, Richardson signed with the Birmingham Iron. He wound up being one of the most productive players in the AAF, scoring a league-best 12 touchdowns in the regular season before the AAF collapsed. The Iron clinched a playoff berth but never got to play in the postseason.
Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images
He previously played in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2017-18, around the same time he was arrested on third-degree domestic violence charges. He failed to report to the CFL team's training camp because he would reportedly lose custody of his children if he crossed the Canadian border.
Richardson has stayed busy off the field running the TR3 Youth Sports Alliance, a statewide youth football league in Alabama. He also travels to speak to children in schools, which he did in January 2020.
In a year where the coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak created bizarre headlines, Richardson was certainly at the center of one in November. Surveillance video from a furniture store revealed a woman pulling a gun and waving it at him after a dispute. The former running back was reportedly upset over damaged furniture he paid for.
Trent Richardson Net Worth
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Richardson made more than $18 million in the NFL. Today, he's worth about $6 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
In 2016, he detailed in an E:60 segment how family and friends spent $1.6 million of his money in just 10 months. The running back discovered that he was paying for 11 Netflix accounts, eight Hulu accounts, random charges from Amazon and paid for bottle service at clubs.
"I finally just looked at my bank statement, and I was just like, 'Where did this come from? Where did that come from?' And my guy was sitting there telling me, 'Man, we was telling you.' I know he was telling me, but that's just like telling a kid to stop running in the hall. They're going to still do it when you turn your back or you leave. It's just one of them moments to where I was just blinded by my heart, by loving everybody and thinking that everyone was for me. I know they love me. I know they do care. But at the time, they took advantage of me," he said, according to CBS Sports.
Trent Richardson Kids
Richardson has his hands full at home, too.
The former NFL player has three children, daughters Elevera Richardson and Taliyah Richardson and a son named Trent Richardson Jr. Judging from Richardson's Instagram, he loves his kids more than anything.
On Taliyah's 13th birthday, he wrote a sentimental message on social media:
"My princess I know this is a special day for you but what it means for me to share this day with you for the last 13 years has been more than a breath of fresh air, you literally save my life if the boss didn't putting you in my life when the boss did I would be either on the in prison or in the grave right now. I'm appreciate every moment that you bless me with your presence," he wrote.
On his son's birthday last year, he did the same:
"Happy 7th birthday Tj I'm proud to say my baby is growing up and becoming a great respectful, smart,&handsome young man. These 7 years watching you grow has tough me a lot and your a big reason why I grind like i do son. I appreciate you for making me a better person and parents it's a honor everyday to wake up and call you Trent Jr. Love you son very much!!! You are your way out!!!" Richardson wrote.
In an interview with CBS Sports, Trent said his son wants to play football like his father. His reason why might make you tear up a bit.
"I'm going to play football so I can take care of the family so you can stop playing one day," T.J. told his dad, per CBS. "You can't take care of the family forever."
Richardson's days of scoring in the end zone for NFL teams may be over with, but at least he's still chasing his dream.
Maybe the former first-round draft pick and Heisman Trophy finalist will suit up for an NFL team again one day or at least find a home in an NFL front office.
This article was originally published on November 19, 2020 but has been updated since.
