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"I love the game of football because there’s nothing like it. I mean the challenge, the discipline, the teamwork…Football is such an incredible, incredible game.”
(Texas Southern)...6'5'', 255...Michael Anthony Strahan ... Selected in 2nd round (40th player overall) in 1993 … Recorded 141.5 career sacks … Registered double-digit sack totals six times during nine-season span, 1997-2005 … All-Pro and All-NFC five times … Seven Pro Bowls … Two NFL sack titles including single-season record of 22.5 sacks in 2001 … NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 2001 … Played last NFL game in Giants Super Bowl XLII victory … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s … Born November 21, 1971 in Houston, Texas.
Defensive End Michael Strahan was taken in the second round, 40th player overall, in the 1993 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. At Texas Southern he had a reputation for sacking quarterbacks as demonstrated by his school record 41.5 career sacks. That ability transitioned well to the pro level and by the time his 15-season NFL career ended, he ranked fifth all-time in sack leaders and was the Giants’ record holder with 141.5 career sacks.
A foot injury limited Strahan to nine games as a rookie. He became the regular starter as right defensive end in 1994 and responded with 4.5 sacks that season and a team-high 7.5 more the following year. In 1996, due to injuries on the Giants defensive line, Strahan was moved to left defensive end. He started all 16 games at that position and tied for the team lead with five sacks. In 1997, he recorded 14 sacks to finish tied third in the league. He was named All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time. It marked the first of five seasons in which he earned first-team All-Pro accolades and the first of seven Pro Bowl berths.
Strahan, who was also noted as one of the best defensive ends defending against the run, enjoyed his finest season in 2001 when he established the new NFL record with 22.5 sacks and led the league with a career-high seven forced fumbles. For his efforts he was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Two seasons later, he added a second NFL sack crown when he registered 18.5 quarterback takedowns.
A torn pectoral muscle put Strahan on the sidelines for the second half of the 2004 season but he rebounded in 2005 by starting all 16 regular season games and contributed with 11.5 sacks. It marked the sixth time over a nine-season span from 1997 to 2005 that he registered double-digit sacks totals.
He started at left defensive end for the Giants in two NFC championship victories and two Super Bowls. The final appearance of his NFL career came during New York’s thrilling 17-14 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. He recorded two tackles, added one assist, garnered one sack and had one pass defensed in the game.
Strahan was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Championship Games
2000 NFC – N.Y. Giants 41, Minnesota Vikings 0 Strahan started at left defensive end. He had two tackles, one sack and one quarterback hit.
2007 NFC – N.Y. Giants 23, Green Bay Packers 20 (OT) Strahan started at left defensive end. He had two tackles.
Super Bowls
Super Bowl XXXV – Baltimore Ravens 34, N.Y. Giants 7 Strahan started at left defensive end. He had five tackles and one assist. He also had one and a half sacks, and two tackles for loss.
Super Bowl XLII – N.Y. Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 Strahan started at left defensive end. He had two tackles, one assist, one sack and one pass defensed.
All-Pro: 1997 (AP, PFWA, SN) • 1998 (AP, PFWA) • 2001 (AP, PFWA, SN) • 2003 (AP, PFWA, SN) • 2005 (SN)
All-Pro Second Team: 2002 (AP) • 2005 (AP)
All-NFC: 1997 (PW) • 1998 (PW) • 2001 (PW) • 2003 (PW) • 2005 (PW)
(7) – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
(at time of his retirement following 2007 season)
[1st] Most Sacks, Season – 22.5 (2001) [Tied for 1st] Most Season Leading the League in Sacks – 2 (2001, 2003)
Super Bowl Records [Tied for 3rd] Most Sacks, Career – 2.5
Giants records held by Strahan (Records through the 2007 season, Strahan’s final season with New York)
[1st] Most Sacks, Career – 141.5 [1st] Most Games Played, Career – 216 [1st] Most Sacks, Season – 22.5 (2001) [Tied for 1st] Most Seasons Played – 15 [Tied for 2nd] Most Fumbles Recovered, Career – 15 [3rd] Most Sacks, Season – 18.5 (2003) [Tied for 3rd] Most Sacks, Game – 4.0 (at St. Louis, Oct. 14, 2001)
Postseason Records
[1st] Most Sacks, Career – 9.5 [Tied for 1st] Most Sacks, Game – 2.0 (vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Jan. 7, 2001; vs. Carolina Panthers, Jan. 8, 2006) [Tied for 3rd] Most Games, Career – 10
NFL Statistical Championships Sack Titles: 2001, 2003
NFC Statistical Championships Sack Titles: 2001, 2003 Team Statistical Championships Sack Titles: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003
• 2000s NFL All-Decade Team • 2001 NFL Defensive Player of the Year (AP, PW, PFWA)
Full Name: Michael Anthony Strahan
Birthdate: November 21, 1971
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
High School: Westbury (Houston, TX); American School (Mannheim, Germany) Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: February 1, 2014 Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 2, 2014 Other Members of Class of 2014: Derrick Brooks, Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Andre Reed, Aeneas Williams
Pro Career: 15 seasons, 216 games
Drafted: 2nd round (40th player overall) in 1993 by N.Y. Giants
Uniform Number: 92