Mike McKenzie

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Mike McKenzie
Date of birth April 26, 1976 (age 30)
Place of birth Flag of United States Miami, Florida
Position(s) Cornerback
College Memphis
NFL Draft 1999 / Round 3/ Pick 87
Statistics
Team(s)
1999-2004
2004-present
Green Bay Packers
New Orleans Saints

Michael Terrance McKenzie (born April 26, 1976 in Miami, Florida) is an American football cornerback currently playing for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. In 2005 he started his 7th season. He has also played for the Green Bay Packers. He graduated from Norland High School in Miami.

In the 2004 training camp with the Packers, McKenzie held out for several reasons. Firstly, he was not pleased that the team's No. 2 corner, Al Harris, was rewarded with a long-term contract, while McKenzie, who had easily outplayed Harris and his own rookie contract-- not to mention Mike was becoming one of the NFL's best corner was not. McKenzie also was displeased with the defensive direction of the football club. Near the end of his Green Bay Packer tenure, McKenzie cut off communication with every member of the team's coaching staff except the assistant defensive backs coach. The last straw was Bob Slowik's promotion to defensive coordinator as they clashed when Slowik was the defensive backs coach. In the end, McKenzie's dislike for Slowik's direction was insightful as the Packer's defense became one of the league's worst under Slowik. The Packers traded McKenzie after the third week of the season to the New Orleans Saints for a second round draft pick and J.T. O'Sullivan. McKenzie has since stated the culture shock of Green Bay compared to his hometown Miami, lack of diversity and less exciting nightlife also attributed to his desire to leave Green Bay. The whole ordeal was a mess with a messy ending, leaving McKenzie shipped out of Green Bay, Slowik fired and Mike Sherman stripped of his GM title.