Michael Strahan

All-American, Michael T. Strahan, is a retired professional football player, television personality, and journalist. While living with his uncle, he attended Westbury High School, and after just one season of football, received a scholarship offer from Texas Southern University. He followed in the footsteps of his uncle, Art Strahan, retired NFL defensive lineman.

Michael Strahan graduated from TSU in 1993, and was subsequently drafted into the NFL. Though he was born in Houston, Texas, he spent his career playing as defensive end for the New York Giants. In the 2000 season, Strahan participated in the team’s playoff run, earning a spot in Super Bowl XXXV, where the team ultimately lost to the Baltimore Ravens. He ended his football career on the high of a Super Bowl XLII win over New England Patriots in 2007. He shares the record for most NFL single-season quarterback sacks with player T.J. Watts, and in 2001 was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, earning the title again in 2003. During the prime of his football career, he was regarded as the best at his position by coaches, peers, and experts.

In 2014 Strahan was honored with his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and was presented with his Hall of Fame ring later that year. In 2008, he joined the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show as a co-host, alongside Curt Menefee, Howie Long, and Terry Bradshaw, and in 2018, when Fox acquired the rights to broadcast Thursday Night Football, Strahan would continue as the pregame host along with Bradshaw and Long.

Appearing as a guest host on Live! With Regis and Kelly for the first time in 2010, he would eventually be chosen to replace Regis Philbin after his retirement, officially joining the show as co-host to Kelly Ripa in 2012. Together, Strahan and Ripa were awarded the Daytime Emmy two times over for Outstanding Talk Show Host. Since his rise as a television personality, he has also accepted acting roles in such films as Charlie’s Angels (2019), The Lego Ninjago Movie, and Magic Mike XXL. He became an ordained minister with ULC in 2015, adding “officiant” to his ever-expanding list of titles.

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