Jahvid Best’s rise to the NFL ranks reads like a movie trailer. He was a player who lit Cal’s campus with brilliant moves that turned him into a first-round draft pick. But then came the hit that changed everything. It was a brutal concussion that forced him to pivot his dream and chart a new path. Today, Best isn’t defined by what could have been, but by how bravely he’s rewriting his story with this new chapter.

“My name is Officer Jahvid Best. “I’m with the San Francisco Police Department, and I’ve been on the force for about two years,” former Detroit Lions RB Jahvid Best said on SFPD. “Before I was an officer, I played professional football for the Detroit Lions for three years, and then I ran in the 2016 Olympics and represented my father’s country of St. Lucia in the Olympics in the 100-meter sprint.

“I chose a career with SFPD just in general. I wanted to be a police officer when I was growing up, and so I decided to join the SFPD, and I’ve been loving it ever since. I feel like my time being a professional athlete, whether it be football or track and field, really translated to being a police officer because it takes a lot of dedication. It takes a lot of focus, especially under pressure, and the thing I love most about it is the camaraderie I get from my other coworkers.”

After a shaky NFL career, Best joined the police department for a fresh start back in 2023. This job came in as a shocker because, after his release from Detroit, Best was going into the coaching business. He joined Cal’s coaching staff in 2014 as a student assistant coach. He even joined Saint Mary’s College High School as a head coach in 2021, but clearly, something better was waiting for him. Still, his NFL journey was one of a kind, filled with highs and lows.

Jahvid Best went to the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, and during his pro career, he sustained three concussions. Despite playing three seasons, he didn’t take an offensive snap in his third year. During his rookie season, he showed dual skills, racking up 1,042 yards with 555 rushing and 487 receiving yards.

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But that didn’t last for long; head injuries made things worse for him. In two seasons, he recorded 1,719 yards, yet couldn’t do much. Even though he already suffered one during his college career, the impact was tough on Best.

“That (concussion I had in October) was not even close to what it was like when I had the one in college,” Best said. “That’s why I’m personally not worried about it.”

Best hasn’t played football since 2011, when he suffered his final concussion. He even filed the lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court, arguing that the NFL knew about the dangers of head injuries but still failed to protect its players. His attorney, Bret Schnitzer, explained the entire thing perfectly.

“In Michigan, you plead in excess of $25,000, but we’re not prepared to give a specific amount at this time,” Schnitzer said. “Unfortunately, with these types of injuries, as has been documented, the long-term effects of the injuries to the brain may not manifest themselves for several years.”

Despite his efforts, nothing much happened, and in the end, Best had to bid goodbye to his NFL career. But even that hard journey had a strong start.

Jahvid Best’s career at Cal

Even though Jahvid Best’s NFL career ended on a rough note, his college career was one of a kind. He played three seasons at Cal from 2007 to 2009, appearing in 31 games and starting in 19 of them. He earned second-team All-American honors from College Football News in 2008 and was also a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection.

During his sophomore season, Best recorded a career-high record with 1,580 rushing yards on 194 carries and a school record of 15 rushing touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry, which is the highest for Cal.

But the list doesn’t just stop at that. During his freshman year in 2007, he excelled on special teams, too. Best returned 15 kicks for 405 yards and also contributed 221 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in 10 games.

Now, in this new journey, the learnings of the past and adverse situations will push him to be a strong cop.