Beanie Wells

Christopher Michael “Beanie” Wells was born on August 7, 1988, in Akron, Ohio. He demonstrated athletic talent early, playing high school football at Akron Garfield High from 2002 to 2005 and excelling in track and field. Wells was regarded as a top recruit and an All-American by Parade in 2006, attracting attention from major college football programs. He committed to Ohio State University, famously stating he “came out of my mom’s womb wanting to go to Ohio State,” where he wore number 28.

Wells quickly made an impact during his freshman year at Ohio State, sharing carries and contributing to the 2006 Buckeyes team. A notable moment was his 52-yard touchdown run against Michigan, which secured the lead for Ohio State. In his sophomore season, Wells became the starting running back, starting every game and leading the Big Ten Conference in rushing attempts in 2007. He achieved significant milestones, including rushing for 221 yards against Michigan State on October 20, 2007, and 222 yards against Michigan on November 17, 2007, the second-highest by an Ohio State running back against Michigan. His impressive college career earned him multiple honors, including First-team All-Big Ten in 2007 and team MVP in 2008.

Wells was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the 31st overall pick. In his rookie 2009 NFL season, he played all 16 games, rushing for 793 yards and seven touchdowns, and earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. His career highlight was the 2011 season, where he became the primary ground-attack leader for the Cardinals, accumulating 1,047 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. This included setting a Cardinals single-game franchise record with 228 rushing yards against the St. Louis Rams on November 27, 2011. His NFL career concluded after a significant Achilles tendon injury in 2013.