The Las Vegas Raiders are an easy target for ridicule right now. The storied NFL franchise lost its eighth straight game on Friday, November 29th, becoming the first team in their conference to reach 10 losses this season and the first to get eliminated from playoff contention. That level of losing will always inspire backlash, but throw in the Raiders’ famous slogans like “Just Win, Baby” and “Commitment to Excellence,” and it’s even more low-hanging fruit for comedians and commentators across the football universe.

For the trying-to-be-optimistic crowd — or for Raiders fans who just need something positive to cling to — one of the few bright spots in the team’s recent slide has been veteran running back and kick returner Ameer Abdullah.

Abdullah, a 31-year-old Muslim, is in his 10th NFL season, his third with the Raiders. The former University of Nebraska superstar hadn’t gotten many opportunities to touch the ball in his previous two years in Vegas, but injuries to running backs Zamir White and Alexander Mattison this season have opened the door for Abdullah to show his playmaking ability.

In Friday’s 19-17 loss to the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs, Abdullah had a season-high 10 carries. (Last season, he had a total of 15 carries in 17 games.) Abdullah also had a 69-yard kickoff return against the Chiefs that set up one of the Raiders’ two touchdowns. He racked up 151 all-purpose yards between rushing, receiving, kickoff and punt returns.

In last week’s loss to the Broncos, Abdullah caught a 6-yard touchdown pass. In a Nov. 17 loss to the Dolphins, he caught a 10-yard touchdown pass. He also scored a 3-yard rushing touchdown in an Oct. 6 loss to the Broncos.

Overall, this has been Abdullah’s most productive season running the ball since 2021, which he split between the Vikings and Panthers; and his three total touchdowns this season are the most he’s scored since he had five TDs with the Lions in 2017, when he was Detroit’s starting running back for the majority of the season.

The Raiders could be in store for a roster (and coaching staff) house-cleaning in 2025, and Abdullah is not under contract for next season. As much of a spark as the veteran has provided for Vegas’s special teams and struggling offense, his playing future is uncertain. But in the name of being positive, his time in Vegas has put Abdullah in proximity to the entertainment industry, and he’s gotten involved in acting and film production in recent years. So it appears that his post-playing roadmap is in place for whenever he decides to call it a career in the NFL.