Michael Strahan
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| Michael Strahan | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | November 21, 1971 (age 35) |
| Place of birth | Houston, Texas |
| Position(s) | Defensive End |
| College | Texas Southern |
| NFL Draft | 1993 / Round 2/ Pick 40 |
| Pro Bowls | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 |
| Awards | 2001 NFL Defensive Player of the Year |
| Records | Sacks, season (22.5) |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1993–Present | New York Giants |
Michael Anthony Strahan (born November 21, 1971, in Houston, Texas) is an American Football player who currently plays Defensive End for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He attended Texas Southern University and was drafted in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Strahan was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 2001, because of his record 22.5 sacks.
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[edit] NFL record
He holds the NFL record for sacks in a single season with 22.5, breaking Mark Gastineau's total of 22 in the 2001 season, though it is tainted with controversy. Before the sack that enabled Strahan to set the record, Green Bay Packers quarterback (and close friend) Brett Favre spoke briefly with him. On the next play, Favre dropped back as if to pass, then suddenly scrambled towards the side that Strahan was rushing from, abruptly diving onto the ground, allowing Strahan to fall on top of him for an easy sack. After the play, during the ensuing celebration, many of the Giants' defensive players patted Favre on the helmet. Many observers accused Favre of deliberately falling to ensure that Strahan would get the record. [1] Mike Freeman, New York Times columnist wrote: "Yes, Mr. Favre, Strahan deserves the record, but please, handing it to him the way you did, as if you were throwing change into a Salvation Army bucket, is the kind of mistake Favre may never live down." Deacon Jones unofficially had 26 sacks in 1967, but the NFL did not keep official sack records until 1982.
Strahan currently has 132.5 career sacks, 794 career tackles, 4 career interceptions, 21 forced fumbles and 2 career touchdowns in 200 games over a 14 year career (through 2006 season). Throughout the greater part of the 2004 season, Strahan was injured with a torn pectoral muscle, which limited him to only 4 sacks. He rebounded in 2005, returning to the Pro Bowl, with his protege, Osi Umenyiora as the two combined for 26 sacks while anchoring the Giants' defense.
On October 23, 2006, with a sack of Drew Bledsoe in a Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys, Strahan tied Lawrence Taylor for the Giants franchise record for most career sacks with 132.5. This total does not include 9.5 sacks accrued by Taylor in his rookie season of 1981, the year before sacks became an official NFL statistic.
| Year | Team | G | Total | Tckl | Ast | Sacks | Int | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | New York Giants | 9 | 3 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | New York Giants | 15 | 38 | 25.0 | 13 | 4.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 | New York Giants | 15 | 58 | 48.0 | 10 | 7.5 | 2 | 3 |
| 1996 | New York Giants | 16 | 62 | 52.0 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997 | New York Giants | 16 | 68 | 46.0 | 22 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | New York Giants | 16 | 67 | 53.0 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 2 |
| 1999 | New York Giants | 16 | 60 | 41.0 | 19 | 5.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | New York Giants | 16 | 66 | 50.0 | 16 | 9.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | New York Giants | 16 | 73 | 60.0 | 13 | 22.5 | 0 | 6 |
| 2002 | New York Giants | 16 | 70 | 55.0 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 2003 | New York Giants | 16 | 76 | 61.0 | 15 | 18.5 | 0 | 3 |
| 2004 | New York Giants | 8 | 34 | 24.0 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | New York Giants | 15 | 76 | 57.0 | 19 | 11.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 | New York Giants | 9 | 38 | 28.0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 200 | 794 | 603.0 | 191 | 132.5 | 4 | 21 |
[edit] Commercials
In late 2006, Michael Strahan did a commercial with Subway to promote their subs. It started airing soon after, and is continuing to run.
During the first part of the 2003 NFL season, Strahan appeared in Pizza Hut commercials alongside other notable NFL icons at that time.
Strahan has appeared in long running commercials for Right Guard anti-perspirant in a comedy role. In the advert Strahan is seen playing golf in front of a crowd, a favourite pastime of his.
[edit] Trivia
- In a TV PSA called “Cold Paws,” Strahan warns that dogs left outside in cold weather can suffer from frostbite and hypothermia, as well as stress and loneliness.
- Strahan appeared, playing golf, in an advertisement for Right Guard and golf is one of his favorite pastimes away from football.
- Strahan also appeared in a Snickers commercial. In this commercial, a Dallas Cowboys fan was saying to Strahan "How 'bout them Cowboys!" The screen then says "Forgetting you're in New York, another unfortunate side-effect of hunger," while Strahan charges toward the fan.
- Strahan appears in a series of commercials for Subway Restaurants with Jared Fogle in which they fight over why Subway sandwiches are better. The commercial famously ends with Stradhan laughing and then screaming "More Meat!"
- He was on the cover of the final videogame of the NFL Blitz series.
- When he recordes a sack in the 2006 season, he and his teammates will pretend to take a basketball jumpshot while saying BALLIN' which is from the Jim Jones rap video "We Fly High". This team celebration was short lived however, as officials then threatened to penalize the team with a 15 Yard Unsportsmanlike "Celebration" should they continue as a group. You'll see members of the team still pose for a jump shot, along with the occasional opposing team mockery of the Giants.[citation needed]
- An infamous April fools prank (2004) produced an on-screen brawl with Tom Arnold during an episode of The Best Damn Sports Show Period. Strahan allowed Arnold to get the better of him. The two also worked together as judges for the December 7, 2004 contest "America's Craziest Sports Fan" sponsored by MSN.com.
- In early 2007, Strahan's ex-wife received $15 million in a divorce settlement,[1] which was more than half his assets.
[edit] References
- ^ Judge orders Strahan to pay $15 million to his ex-wife from Associated Press, posted January 16, 2007.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Ray Lewis |
NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2001 |
Succeeded by Derrick Brooks |
Categories: Articles lacking sources from "January 2007" | All articles lacking sources | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1971 births | American football defensive ends | Living people | National Conference Pro Bowl players | New York Giants players | People from Houston | Texas Southern Tigers football players
