Mohamed Sanu: College| Contract| Wife| QB| Rutgers| Spotrac

Mohamed Sanu: College | Contract | Wife | QB | Rutgers | Spotrac

Mohamed Sanu Sr. is a name familiar to many American football fans. A versatile wide receiver with a strong college pedigree, a lengthy NFL career, and an interesting off-field life, Sanu’s story touches on college success, professional contracts, family, and even occasional quarterback duties. In this article, we dive deep into his Rutgers college years, his contracts as shown on Spotrac, his personal life (including his wife / family), his occasional role as a “QB”, and more.

Early Life and High School

Mohamed Sanu Sr. was born on August 22, 1989 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He comes from a Muslim family and spent part of his childhood in Sierra Leone.  Eventually he returned to the U.S., settling in Dayton, New Jersey. In high school, Sanu attended South Brunswick High School, where he demonstrated his athletic versatility — not only becoming a standout in football but also excelling in track & field (jumping and sprinting).

Interestingly, during his high school football career, Sanu played as a triple-option quarterback in some instances in addition to other positions. His athleticism and flexibility started being evident early.

Due to age restrictions by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Sanu was ruled ineligible to play in his senior year; he graduated six months early and enrolled at Rutgers in January 2009.

College Career at Rutgers

Sanu’s college football career was with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, covering 2009 to 2011.

Here are some of his key college achievements:

• As a true freshman (2009), Sanu started at wide receiver — the first ever true freshman to start at WR for Rutgers under Coach Greg Schiano. He hauled in 51 receptions for 639 yards and 3 touchdowns, and added 62 rush attempts for 346 yards and 5 touchdowns from the Wildcat formation.

• In 2010, he was a consensus preseason All-Big East wide receiver.

• In 2011, he broke the Big East single-season receptions record, with 115 catches for 1,206 yards and 7 touchdowns. That year, he also tied and then broke the Rutgers / Big East record for receptions in a single game with 13, then 16.

• Over his full college career (three seasons), Sanu recorded 210 receptions for 2,263 yards and 19 touchdowns, plus over 3,000 all-purpose yards. He also threw several passes (8 of 18 for 207 yards and 4 touchdowns), intercepted once, and even did some punting.

His multi-role usage (receiver + occasional thrower + special teams) hinted at his versatility, which later translated into his professional role.

NFL Career & Contracts (Spotrac Data)

After college, Mohamed Sanu entered the 2012 NFL Draft. He was picked in the 3rd round, 83rd overall, by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Over his career, he played for several teams:

• Bengals (2012–2015)

• Atlanta Falcons (2016–2019)

• New England Patriots (late 2019)

• San Francisco 49ers (2020, 2021)

• Detroit Lions (2020)

• Miami Dolphins (contracted, etc.)

Some key contract details via Spotrac:

• The most recent listed contract: a 1-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, worth US$1,120,000 (average annual salary same as total since it’s one year).

• Earlier, he had a major contract with the Falcons: in 2016, he signed a 5-year, US$32.5 million deal.

• His rookie contract with the Bengals (2012) was 4-year worth about US$2.71 million, including a signing bonus around US$563,252.

Spotrac also shows his accumulated earnings and cap hits. For example, his listing among Rutgers college alumni shows current contract status, current average annual value (AAV), as well as historical earnings.

Role as a QB (Quarterback Moments)

While Sanu is primarily known as a wide receiver, he has had occasional playing time as a quarterback — not as his main role but in special plays / gadget plays. In high school, he was used as a triple-option QB.

In the NFL, he has thrown several touchdown passes:

• As a rookie with the Bengals, on the very first play from scrimmage in a particular game, he came in as a wildcat quarterback and threw a 73-yard TD pass to A. J. Green. This made him the first Bengals WR to throw a touchdown pass and perhaps the only one before his first NFL reception to do so.

• He has done similar trick plays in later years. These moments showcase his diverse skillset and trust from coaching staffs to execute non-standard plays.

Personal Life: Wife, Family, Faith

Mohamed Sanu’s life off the field is interesting too.

• Wife / Partner / Family: He has a son, Mohamed Jr.

• His romantic relationship: He was engaged to Lauren Hettinger, who appears in media reports as his fiancée / partner and mother of his son.

• On Instagram, he lists being “Proud Father to Mohamed Sanu Jr. & Miliana Sanu, Husband of Lo Sanu BeanTalk…” which suggests family involvement and possibly another child or children.

• Sanu is a practicing Muslim.

Note: Some sources refer to “wife” loosely; it’s not always clear from public sources whether he is formally married. But he is publicly committed to his family and has children. As with many public figures, personal life details may evolve, so some info may be more recent than older reports. Mohamed Sanu Contract.

Legacy, Stats, Highlights

Some of Sanu’s career stats and standout moments:

• Total NFL receptions: 435 with over 4,800 receiving yards.

• Receiving touchdowns: 27

• He has also rushed, passed, and contributed in multiple ways (all-purpose yards).

• Played in Super Bowl LI with the Falcons (2016 season) though they lost to the Patriots after a dramatic comeback by New England. Sanu caught passes in that game. Mohamed Sanu Contract.

What Spotrac Offers on Mohamed Sanu

For those interested in contract and salary details, Spotrac is one of the go-to resources. On Spotrac you can find:

• Current contract terms: length, base salary, bonuses, average annual value.

• Historical contracts: what he earned in previous deals, what teams paid him, signing bonuses, guarantees.

• Comparison vs other Rutgers alumni in the NFL. For example, Spotrac’s “NFL Colleges: Rutgers” page lists Sanu among Rutgers players with current or past contracts and earnings.

Recent Status & Retirement

As of 2025, Mohamed Sanu has announced his retirement from professional football. This marks the end of a long-spanning NFL career. Post-retirement, media outlets mention he is exploring podcasting, mentoring, and possibly coaching young athletes. Mohamed Sanu Contract.

Analysis: What Made Mohamed Sanu Stand Out

Several traits helped Sanu carve out a long NFL career:

1. Versatility – Able to play wide receiver, run wildcat formations, throw the ball occasionally, etc. His skill set made him useful in multiple roles.

2. Consistent Production – Even if never a top superstar, his college records and steady NFL contributions (receptions, yards) kept him valuable.

3. Team Fit & Contract Negotiations – His major contract with the Falcons (5 years, $32.5M) showed that teams saw significant value in him. Later contracts were shorter, more modest, but still kept him in the league. Spotrac shows how his earnings patterns matched his performance and expected role.

4. Off-Field Character & Brand – His family life, public image, and case of brand participation (e.g. via Fantex) added to his profile.

FAQs

Here are frequently asked questions about Mohamed Sanu, covering what people often search.