The Story And Significance Of Aeneas Williams - Fourteen Defensive Touchdowns Scored Over His Fourteen Year Career

Aeneas Demetrius Williams is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback and safety in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played college football for the Southern Jaguars and was selected in the third round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Phoenix Cardinals, where he spent 10 seasons. During his final four seasons, he was a member of the St. Louis Rams. Williams received eight Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro honors, as well as being on the second NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

The Phoenix Cardinals selected Williams in the third round (59th overall) of the 1991 NFL draft. He was the sixth cornerback selected. He became Southern's ninth highest player selected in the history of the NFL Draft and their 55th player selected in the draft since 1967.

On July 19, 1991, the Cardinals signed Williams to a three–year, $960,000 rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $200,000. Throughout training camp, Williams competed against Cedric Mack, Robert Massey, and Jay Taylor to be the No. 1 starting cornerback under new defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur. On August 23, 1991, the Phoenix Cardinals unexpectedly cut Cedric Mack as part of their final roster cuts. Head coach Joe Bugel named Williams and Robert Massey as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 1, 1991, Williams made his professional regular season debut and earned his first career start in the Phoenix Cardinals' season-opener at the Los Angeles Rams and recorded three solo tackles and had his first career interception on a pass thrown by Jim Everett as they won 24–14. The following week, he recorded three solo tackles, set a season-high with two fumble recoveries, and intercepted a pass running back Keith Byars attempted to throw as he was hit by linebacker Garth Jax during a 26–10 win at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. In Week 12, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo) during a 10–14 loss at the San Francisco 49ers. The following week, Williams recorded four solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jim McMahon as the Cardinals lost 34–14 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. On December 15, 1991, Williams made four solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by John Elway during a 19–24 loss at the Denver Broncos. He finished his rookie season with 66 combined tackles (58 solo), 10 pass deflections, six interceptions, and two fumble recoveries in 16 games and 15 starts. His six interceptions tied for the most in the NFC in 1991, alongside Deion Sanders, Tim McKyer, and Ray Crockett.

He returned to training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback with Robert Massey and Lorenzo Lynch competing for the other starting role. Head coach Joe Bugel named Williams and Lorenzo Lynch the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. Prior to Week 4, defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur demoted Lorenzo Lynch to a backup and replaced him in the starting lineup with Robert Massey for the rest of the season. On November 22, 1992, Williams set a season-high with seven combined tackles (six solo), made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass attempt by Troy Aikman during a 16–10 loss against the Dallas Cowboys. He started all 16 games throughout the 1992 NFL season for the first time in his career and made 50 combined tackles (39 solo), 10 pass deflections, and three interceptions.

He returned to training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. Robert Massey was a contract holdout and would miss the entire preseason as well as the first seven games of the season. Head coach Joe Bugel named Williams and Lorenzo Lynch as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 5, 1993, Williams started in the Phoenix Cardinals' season-opener at the Philadelphia Eagles and set a season-high with six solo tackles and made one pass deflection as they lost 17–23. On October 31, 1993, Williams made six combined tackles (five solo), one pass deflection, and scored a career-high two touchdowns on an interception return and a return on a fumble recovery during a 20–17 loss against the New Orleans Saints. He scored the first touchdown of his career in the first quarter after recovering a fumble by wide receiver Quinn Early and returning it 20–yards for a touchdown. The first pick-six of his career occurred in the second quarter after he intercepted a pass Wade Wilson threw to wide receiver Eric Martin and returned it 46–yards for a touchdown. The following game, Williams recorded three combined tackles (two solo), set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Ken O'Brien as the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 3–16 in Week 10. He started all 16 games throughout the 1993 NFL season and made 47 combined tackles (43 solo), 12 pass deflections, two interceptions, two touchdowns, and one fumble recovery. He was selected to play in the 1994 Pro Bowl to mark the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

On January 24, 1994, the Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Joe Bugel after they ended the 1993 NFL season with a 7–9 record. On February 3, 1994, the Cardinals hired former Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Buddy Ryan to takeover as their new head coach. On February 17, 1994, the Arizona Cardinals signed Williams to a two–year, $3 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $900,000.

Entering training camp, Williams remained as the No. 1 starting cornerback under the new defensive coordinator Ronnie Jones. Head coach Buddy Ryan named Williams and James Williams the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 18, 1994, Williams made five solo tackles, one pass break-up, and had his first interception of the season on a pass Vinny Testaverde threw to wide receiver Mark Carrier during a 0–32 loss at the Cleveland Browns. On October 16, 1994, Williams made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on pass attempts thrown by Heath Shuler during a 19–16 overtime victory at the Washington Redskins. In Week 12, he recorded two solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Randall Cunningham threw to wide receiver Fred Barnett as the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 6–12. On December 11, 1994, Williams made five solo tackles, one pass deflection, and made his ninth interception of the season on a pass thrown by Heath Shuler to wide receiver Olanda Truitt as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Redskins 15–17. He started all 16 games for the third consecutive season and made 42 combined tackles (40 solo). He set a new career-high in interceptions (9) and passes defended (26).

Head coach Buddy Ryan named Williams the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season, but paired him with Patrick Hunter following the departure of James Williams. On October 15, 1995, Williams recorded three solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and returned an interception by Gus Frerotte to wide receiver Michael Westbrook for a 28–yard touchdown as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Redskins 20–24. On December 9, 1995, Williams made six solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Stan Humphries during a 25–28 loss at the San Diego Chargers. In Week 17, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (six solo), had one pass break-up, and intercepted a pass attempt thrown by Troy Aikman to wide receiver Michael Irvin and returned it 48–yards for a touchdown during a 37–13 loss against the Dallas Cowboys. On December 27, 1995, the Arizona Cardinals announced their decision to fire head coach Buddy Ryan after they finished the 1995 NFL season with a 4–12 record. He started all 16 games and made 62 combined tackles (52 solo), 22 pass deflections, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and scored two touchdowns.

On February 26, 1996, the Arizona Cardinals re-signed Williams to a six–year, $17 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $6 million. The Cardinals had hired Vince Tobin earlier in the month to be the new head coach. Following the departures of Lorenzo Lynch and Patrick Hunter, Williams was projected to begin the season alongside Tito Paul. On August 27, 1996, the Cardinals claimed cornerback Ronnie Bradford off waivers after he was cut by the Denver Broncos. Head coach Vince Tobin named Williams the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and chose to start safety Brent Alexander alongside him as the No. 2 starting cornerback for the first two games. Defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis elected to promote Ronnie Bradford to the No. 2 starting cornerback beginning in Week 3.

On October 27, 1996, Williams made seven combined tackles (six solo), two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions thrown by Frank Reich as the Cardinals lost 31–21 against the New York Jets to give them their first win of the season after eight consecutive losses. On November 17, 1996, Williams made eight combined tackles (six solo), two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Dave Brown as the Cardinals defeated the New York Giants 23–31. The following week, he recorded seven combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, one interception, and had his first career sack on Ty Detmer for a six–yard loss during a 30–36 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. In Week 15, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles and had two pass break-ups during a 6–10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. On December 22, 1996, Williams made two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had a pick-six on an interception he returned for a 65–yard touchdown that was thrown by Ty Detmer during a 19–29 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles. He started all 16 games for the fifth consecutive season and set a career-high with 77 combined tackles (65 solo) while also recording 18 pass deflections, six interceptions, one sack, and one touchdown.

The Arizona Cardinals selected cornerbacks Tom Knight in the first-round (9th overall) and Ty Howard in the third-round (84th overall) of the 1997 NFL draft following the departure of Ronnie Bradford. Head coach Vince Tobin named Williams the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with rookie Tom Knight.

On September 28, 1997, Williams recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and returned an interception by Trent Dilfer 42–yards for a touchdown during an 18–19 loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 7, Williams made six combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and had his second pick-six of the season after intercepting a pass by Danny Kanell to wide receiver Amani Toomer during a 27–13 loss against the New York Giants. The following week, he set a season-high with seven combined tackles (four solo) and made one pass deflection during a 10–13 overtime loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. In Week 16, he made two solo tackles, a pass deflection, and had his sixth interception of the season on a pass by Billy Joe Hobert to wide receiver Andre Hastings during a 10–24 loss at the New Orleans Saints. He started all 16 games and recorded 62 combined tackles (48 solo), 18 pass deflections, six interceptions, two touchdowns, and a forced fumble.

The Cardinals selected cornerback Corey Chavous in the second-round (33rd overall) of the 1998 NFL draft. Head coach Vince Tobin named Williams and Tom Knight the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On September 6, 1998, Williams started in the Cardinals' season-opener at the Dallas Cowboys and set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (10 solo) as they lost 10–38. In Week 4, Tom Knight suffered a hamstring injury and remained inactive for the next four games (Weeks 5–9) and was replaced by J. B. Brown. In Week 6, Williams made one tackle, a pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass Erik Kramer threw to wide receiver Curtis Conway as the Cardinals defeated the Chicago Bears 7–20. Defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis named Corey Chavous the No. 2 starting cornerback for the last five games of the season. He started all 16 games for the seventh consecutive season and recorded 70 combined tackles (52 solo), seven pass deflections, one sack, and made one interception.

The Arizona Cardinals finished the 1998 NFL season with a 9–7 record, marking the only time they had a winning record during Williams' entire 10–seasons. On January 2, 1999, Williams started in the first playoff game of his career and recorded two solo tackles and had a game–high two interceptions on passes thrown by Troy Aikman during a 20–7 victory at the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild-Card Game.[60] On January 10, 1999, Williams started in the Divisional Round at the Minnesota Vikings and recorded two solo tackles and intercepted a pass Randall Cunningham threw to Randy Moss as the Cardinals lost 21–41.

He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and was paired with Corey Chavous. On September 12, 1999, Williams started in the Arizona Cardinals' season-opener at the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded one solo tackle, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Doug Pederson threw to wide receiver Torrance Small as they won 25–24. The following week, he set a season-high with five solo tackles during a 16–19 loss at the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. On September 27, 1999, Williams and the Cardinals appeared on nationally televised Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. During the end of the second quarter, Williams unfortunately delivered the career-ending hit to Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young as he threw a pass. Williams came in freely unblocked on a blindside cornerback blitz on Young after running back Lawrence Phillips failed his assignment of picking up any incoming blitzes. At the same time, cornerback J. J. McCleskey blitzed on the broadside of Young, ran by guard Dave Fiore, and dove for a tackle as Young threw a pass, but would only hit Young's lower legs. With Aeneas Williams simultaneously hitting Young in the chest, the combined force would send Young falling backwards with the back of his head slamming into the turf and left Young unconscious on the field for several minutes. Young would not return after halftime and was replaced by Jeff Garcia as the 49ers defeated the Cardinals 24–10. Young suffered his fourth severe concussion from the impact in only three years and had continual symptoms of post-concussion syndrome that would immediately end his career and force his retirement. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1999 NFL season and recorded 55 combined tackles (50 solo), seven pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

Head coach Vince Tobin retained Williams and Tom Knight as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On October 23, 2000, the Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Vince Tobin after starting with a 2–5 record and appointed defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. On November 5, 2000, Williams made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and interception, and returned a fumble that linebacker Mark Maddox forced by running back Stephen Davis 104–yards for a touchdown as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Redskins 15–16. His fumble recovery returned 104–yards for a touchdown tied Oakland Raiders' safety Jack Tatum (1972). In Week 15, he set a season-high with six solo tackles during a 10–44 loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars.[65] On December 24, 2000, Williams recorded six combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Brad Johnson during a 3–20 loss at the Washington Redskins. He started all 16 games throughout the 2000 NFL season and finished with 62 combined tackles (48 solo), 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one touchdown.

On February 22, 2001, the Arizona Cardinals designated their franchise tag to Williams as both parties were still unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The franchise tag was for a fully-guaranteed one–year, $4.18 million contract for the 2001 NFL season.

On April 21, 2001, the St. Louis Rams traded a second (54th overall) and fourth-round pick (121st overall) in the 2001 NFL draft to the Arizona Cardinals in return for Williams. The Rams acquired Williams to replace starting cornerback Todd Lyght after he signed with the Detroit Lions ten days earlier.

On April 25, 2001, the St. Louis Rams signed Williams to a three–year, $14.70 million contract extension that included $7.70 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $3.60 million.[6][69] He entered training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Lovie Smith. Head coach Mike Martz named Williams and Dexter McCleon as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season, alongside nickelback Dre Bly.

On September 30, 2001, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (seven solo) and made one fumble recovery during a 42–10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. On October 21, 2001, Williams made eight combined tackles (five solo), one pass deflection, and returned an interception on a pass by Vinny Testaverde 42–yards for a touchdown during a 34–14 victory at the New York Jets. In Week 9, he made one solo tackle, one pass deflection, and had his second pick-six of the season after intercepting a pass Matt Lytle threw to wide receiver Donald Hayes and returning it for a 16–yard touchdown during a 14–48 victory against the Carolina Panthers. In Week 13, Williams recorded four solo tackles, three pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Jeff Garcia to wide receivers Terrell Owens and Tai Streets as the Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers 14–27. He started all 16 games for the tenth consecutive season and made 73 combined tackles (56 solo), 18 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, four interceptions, and returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

Due to roster concerns, Williams switched to free safety. As one of the leaders of a much-improved defense, Williams got a chance to play in the postseason for only the second time in his career. In the Rams' divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers prior to the Super Bowl, he returned two interceptions from Packers quarterback Brett Favre for touchdowns and recovered a fumble. Then in the NFC title game, he intercepted a pass from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, with 2 minutes left in regulation, clinching the game and ensuring the Rams' berth in Super Bowl XXXVI. However, the Rams lost that game to the New England Patriots.

On March 24, 2003, the St. Louis Rams signed Williams to a two–year, $6.50 million contract that includes a $1 million signing bonus.

After a lackluster season, in which he ended on the injured reserve list, Williams quietly retired during the 2005 offseason. Over his career he accumulated a staggering 12 defensive touchdowns (9 interceptions returned for a touchdown, and 3 fumbles recovered for touchdowns), and 55 career interceptions, cementing his place as one of the most dominating defensive backs of his era. He also recovered 23 fumbles and gained 1,075 total defensive return yards (807 from interceptions and 268 from fumbles). He was also a 4-time All-Pro selection.

Although Williams only played on a playoff team four times in 14 years (three of which were with the Rams), he made the most of his postseason opportunities when they occurred, intercepting 6 passes and recovering one fumble in his first four playoff games.

Williams was inducted into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor during the 2008–2009 football season during halftime of the Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers November 10, 2008. On January 18, 2009, he was chosen to present the George Halas Trophy to the Arizona Cardinals after their victory in the NFC Championship game, resulting in the Cardinals first trip to the Super Bowl. He made his final appearance in a football videogame in NFL Street 2, which was released in 2004.

Williams is the founding pastor of The Spirit Church (formerly Spirit of the Lord Family Church), which began in 2007, located in St. Ann, a suburb of St. Louis. He and his wife, Tracy, have three daughters—Saenea, Tirzah, and Cheyenne—and a son, Lazarus.

Williams was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame classes of 2012 and 2013 but did not get voted in on the final ballots both times. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 1, 2014, and inducted on August 2.

On September 24, 2014, Williams was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

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The Story And Significance Of Michael Strahan - Most Official Sacks In An NFL Season In NFL History

Michael Anthony Strahan is an American television host and former professional football defensive end who played in the National Football League for 15 seasons with the New York Giants. A dominant pass rusher, Strahan set the record for most NFL single season quarterback sacks (22.5, which was matched by T. J. Watt in 2021) and helped the Giants win Super Bowl XLII in his final season in 2007. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Since retiring from the NFL, Strahan became a media personality. He appears as a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and served as a co-host of ABC's Good Morning America as well as Live! with Kelly and Michael with Kelly Ripa from 2012 to 2016, for which he won two Daytime Emmy Awards. He has also made guest appearances on game shows and other programs. In 2014, he became a regular contributor on Good Morning America, and in 2016 the network announced that Strahan would be leaving Live! to join GMA full-time. He also hosts the current incarnation of the Pyramid game show for ABC.

Strahan was selected in the second round by the New York Giants in 1993. He played in only six games due to injuries, and missed the Giants' two playoff games that season. After a few unremarkable seasons, Strahan had a breakout season in 1997, recording 14 sacks. He was voted into his first Pro Bowl and was also named First-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. In 1998, Strahan continued his success, racking up 15 sacks and being voted into his second Pro-Bowl and All-Pro team. In week 8 of the 1999 season, Strahan returned an interception 44 yards for a game-winning overtime touchdown in a 23–17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Strahan was a member of the 2000 Giants and participated in their playoff run to Super Bowl XXXV. Despite coming off a strong NFC Championship Game, where the Giants defeated the Minnesota Vikings 41–0, the Baltimore Ravens proved too strong for the Giants and they were handily defeated by a score of 34–7. In 2002, Strahan and the Giants negotiated on a new contract. He said the team failed to negotiate after he turned down its first contract proposal. He accused the front office of not trying to be competitive in 2002. Four days later, running back Tiki Barber ripped him for being selfish and greedy. The two had a heated phone conversation that night, and Strahan said they no longer speak. It also surfaced in the spring that the Giants explored trading Strahan, after which he suggested that management had orchestrated the contract flap to make him look bad. The team denied that.

Few defensive ends in the NFL were more dominant than Strahan from 1997 to 2005. He was named the 2001 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was a two-time NFC Defensive Player of the Year (in 2001 and 2003). Throughout the greater part of the 2004 season, Strahan was injured with a torn pectoral muscle, which limited him to only four sacks. He rebounded in 2005, returning to the Pro Bowl, with his protégé, Osi Umenyiora, as the two combined for 26 sacks while anchoring the Giants' defense. Strahan was considered by many coaches, peers, and experts as the standard, and best at his position during the prime of his career (1997–2005). He was also regarded as one of if not the best defensive end ever at defending the run, which made people and peers view him as a complete defensive end.

In the 2001 season, Strahan set the NFL record for sacks in a single season with 22.5, the highest tally since it was made an official statistic in 1982, breaking New York Jet Mark Gastineau's total of 22. In the final game of the season on January 6, 2002, with Strahan coming free, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre slid down and Strahan fell on top of Favre for an easy sack. After the play, during the ensuing celebration, many of the Giants' defensive players patted Favre on the helmet. At least one observer accused Favre of deliberately falling to ensure that Strahan would get the record. However, Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher claimed it was just a bad play and "we wanted to avoid that sack." Gastineau later confronted Favre about it at an autograph signing in 2023 while ESPN was filming a 30 for 30 documentary on the New York Sack Exchange, leading to a $25 million lawsuit by Gastineau, though by that point Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T. J. Watt had tied the record uncontroversially. Strahan himself wasn't involved in the dispute.

On October 23, 2006, with a sack on Drew Bledsoe in a Monday Night Football 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 91.5 sacks accrued by Taylor in his rookie season of 1981, the year before sacks became an official NFL statistic). It was the last sack Strahan would get that season, as two weeks later he suffered a Lisfranc fracture in a game against the Houston Texans and would miss the remainder of the season and the playoffs.

It seemed as though Strahan would retire after the 2006 season when he did not report to Giants training camp and missed the entire preseason, but the 14-year veteran opted to return for one final year. His 15th and final season proved to be the Giants' first championship since 1990. On September 30, 2007, he sacked Donovan McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, increasing his career total to 133.5, setting a new franchise record. On Sunday, February 3, 2008, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Strahan had two tackles and one sack in Super Bowl XLII, in what is considered one of the biggest upsets in NFL history. Bolstered by a strong defense and unrelenting pass rush, the Giants went on to win the game 17–14, over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, giving Strahan a Super Bowl win. His saying was "Stomp you out!" His final act as a Giant was his acceptance of the Vince Lombardi Trophy alongside John Mara, Steve Tisch and Tom Coughlin.

On June 9, 2008, Strahan retired from the NFL.

Strahan retired with 141.5 career sacks (fifth all-time when he retired), 854 career tackles, four career interceptions, 24 forced fumbles, and three career touchdowns in 200 games over a 15-year career (through the 2007 season). He was also named to the Pro Bowl roster seven times.

On February 2, 2013, Strahan failed to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; 2013 was his first year of eligibility.

Super Bowl XLVIII, played in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was dedicated to Strahan upon his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Strahan performed the ceremonial coin toss, accompanied by the other members of that year's PFHOF class. Strahan also commented on the trophy presentation for Fox, since Terry Bradshaw (who had commented on the trophy presentations for Fox's previous Super Bowl broadcasts) was mourning the death of his father. On November 3, 2014, he was presented his Hall of Fame ring at halftime of a New York Giants–Indianapolis Colts game by the Giants. In attendance were 100 former Giants players as well as former teammates of Strahan's.

On November 28, 2021, the Giants retired his number 92 at halftime of their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

On May 6, 2025, Strahan announced that he was looking to become a minority shareholder of his former team, the New York Giants.

On June 24, 2008, it was announced that Strahan would be joining the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show, alongside host Curt Menefee and analysts Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson.

When Fox acquired the rights to broadcast Thursday Night Football in 2018, it was decided to have Strahan host the Fox NFL Thursday pregame show, along with Bradshaw and Long. Fox NFL Thursday is televised live from New York City instead of from the Fox NFL Sunday studios in Los Angeles so it can accommodate Strahan's other live shows (see below), since a coast-to-coast commute on a Thursday night/early Friday morning would be impractical.

On October 1, 2010, Strahan co-hosted Live! with Regis and Kelly as a guest host with Kelly Ripa for the first time when Regis Philbin was absent on the show. Philbin left in November 2011, leaving an empty spot. After twenty guest appearances over two years, Strahan was selected as Kelly Ripa's new co-host on September 4, 2012, marking his first official day on the rechristened syndicated talk show, Live! with Kelly and Michael. Ratings instantly surged, impressively generating year-over-year time slot gains across all key demographics, towering over its nearest competition, the fourth hour of NBC's Today, by 87 percent. On April 19, 2016, ABC announced that Strahan would be leaving Live! with Kelly and Michael to begin working full-time on Good Morning America. Strahan together with co-host Ripa won a Daytime Emmy twice for "Outstanding Talk Show Host" during his tenure on the show.

In 2018, Strahan began co-hosting a daytime talk show spin-off of Good Morning America, originally titled GMA Day, alongside Sara Haines. In January 2019, the program was retitled Strahan and Sara, then finally Strahan, Sara and Keke in August 2019, to coincide with the addition of actress Keke Palmer. The show was put on hiatus in March 2020 due to ABC News coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was officially cancelled in the fall of that year.

In 2016, ABC announced that Strahan would be hosting a summer revival of The $100,000 Pyramid, which would air on Sunday nights along with the Steve Harvey-hosted Celebrity Family Feud and the Alec Baldwin-hosted Match Game as part of a "Sunday Fun & Games" lineup. Strahan said that Pyramid was one of his favorite game shows growing up. The series has since been renewed for six seasons. Pyramid did not air in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

His uncle, Art Strahan, played as a defensive lineman for the Houston Oilers (1965) and Atlanta Falcons (1968). In an episode of Finding Your Roots, Strahan learned that he has Anglo-Saxon ancestry that traces directly to Charlemagne, who is his 39-great-grandfather.

Strahan was married to his first wife, Wanda Hutchins, from 1992 to 1996. Hutchins is an American businesswoman, interior designer, and home decorator. They have a daughter, Tanita Strahan, and a son, Michael Anthony Strahan Jr. Strahan moved them to the U.S. and purchased a $163,000 house in the same Houston neighborhood where his parents live.

In 1999, Strahan married Jean Muggli after meeting her at a spa. They had twin daughters, Isabella and Sophia, born December 2004.[54] Strahan and Muggli finalized their divorce on July 20, 2006. In January 2007, Judge James B. Convery awarded Muggli $15 million in a divorce settlement in addition to $18,000 monthly child support.[56] Strahan appealed. In March 2007, the court ordered the Montclair, New Jersey mansion to be auctioned and the sales money split evenly; the house was valued at $3.6 million.

In August 2009, Strahan became engaged to Nicole Mitchell, Eddie Murphy's ex-wife, but the two ended their engagement in 2014. In June 2011, Strahan filmed a commercial supporting legalizing same-sex marriage in New York.

Since around 2015, Strahan has been dating Kayla Quick.

In 2002, Strahan had a multimillion-dollar restoration and renovation done on Georgian Heights. The turn-of-the-19th-century mansion is located on 2.3 acres of mountainside property and boasts sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. The home was built in 1906 at 99 Lloyd Avenue, Montclair, New Jersey. It is a red brick house with a carriage house and a greenhouse that he bought in 2000 for $1.3 million. Before moving in, he allowed the Junior League of Montclair-Newark to use his house as a model home for its charity fundraiser. From May 28 to 31, the League decorated the mansion, had a "bare bones" party and a black-tie affair, and held $25 tours to fund the Junior League programs Children At Risk and HomeCorp. Children At Risk aids children and families and HomeCorp helps low-income people achieve home ownership.

In February 2008, Strahan and Giants teammate Justin Tuck teamed up with Nike to design their own exclusive sneakers for ID studio in New York City. All proceeds from the sneakers were donated to Nike's Let Me Play global campaign.

In December 2018, Strahan volunteered at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and was featured in a series of holiday promotions.

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The Story And Significance Of Andre Reed - Retired With The Second Most Receptions In NFL History

Andre Darnell Reed is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 16 seasons in the National Football League, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Kutztown Golden Bears and was selected by the Bills in the fourth round of the 1985 NFL draft with the 86th overall selection. Following 15 seasons with the Bills, with whom he earned seven Pro Bowl selections, Reed spent his final season as a member of the Washington Redskins in 2000.

Reed currently ranks 18th in all-time NFL touchdown receptions with 87 and tenth in all-time NFL post-season receptions with 85. Reed helped lead the Bills to four consecutive, although winless, Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXV to Super Bowl XXVIII.

At the time of his 2001 retirement, Reed was second in all-time NFL career receptions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

In the 1985 NFL draft, Reed was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round with the 86th overall selection, making him just the second player ever from Kutztown to be selected in an NFL Draft; the first was Don Shaver in 1981. Reed played for the Bills for 15 consecutive seasons, from 1985 through 1999, during which he helped lead the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls. He was released in the 2000 offseason along with fellow longtime Bills' players Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith after the team found itself in severe salary cap trouble; the roster dump began a period of downfall for the Buffalo Bills, who did not again reach the playoffs until the 2017 season.

In addition to the important role he played in taking the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls, Reed is also remembered for his contributions to the Bills' January 3, 1993, playoff victory over the Houston Oilers, a game that has come to be known simply as "The Comeback." In the game, which Houston led 35–3 during the third quarter, Reed caught three touchdowns in the second half, leading Buffalo's rally from a 32-point deficit in what became the largest comeback in NFL history. Reed finished the game with eight receptions for 136 yards and three touchdowns. The game has been enshrined in NFL history as one of the greatest games ever played. It also is recognized as one of the largest comebacks by any team in the history of all of the American professional sports.

Following the Bills' victory over Houston, Reed went on to catch eight passes for 152 yards in the Bills' 52–17 Super Bowl XXVII loss, on January 31, 1993, to the Dallas Cowboys.

In 2000, Reed signed a two-year contract with the Denver Broncos in June but was buried on the depth chart behind Rod Smith, Ed McCaffrey, Robert Brooks, and Travis McGriff. Reed eventually asked for his release from the Broncos after then Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan informed Reed that he would be inactive for their 2000 season opener and wanted to make a more immediate contribution. He eventually joined the Washington Redskins and retired after the 2000 season.

Reed ranks 15th in all-time NFL history in touchdown receptions with 87 and ninth in NFL history in all-time post-season receptions with 85 as of 2022.

He exceeded 1,000 receiving yards four times in a 16-year career and rushed for 500 yards and a touchdown on 75 carries. With the Bills, Reed played in four consecutive Super Bowls (1991–1994) and was selected to the Pro Bowl in seven consecutive seasons (1988–1994). He set season career highs with 90 receptions in 1994, ten touchdowns in 1991, and 1,312 receiving yards in 1989.

A tribute to his physical durability, Reed played in 234 NFL games between 1985 and 2000, the 99th-most games played by any player in NFL history, including players in less physically demanding positions, including kickers and punters.

In his four Super Bowls, Reed recorded 27 receptions, the third-most total career Super Bowl receptions in NFL history behind Jerry Rice's 33 and Travis Kelce's 35, and 323 total Super Bowl receiving yards, sixth-most in Super Bowl history.

In 2006, Reed was voted into the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame, joining a number of other players from Bills history whose names are enshrined in cement inside Highmark Stadium. Reed's was inducted in 2009 along with former teammate Bruce Smith and team owner Ralph Wilson. Through the night, Reed was referred to multiple times as "future Hall of Famer" with various speeches voicing their ringing endorsement for Reed as a candidate.

Reed became eligible for induction into the NFL's Pro Football Hall of Fame, the highest honor afforded a former NFL player, in 2006. However, he was not selected for induction in any of his first seven years of eligibility due partly to a logjam of accomplished wide receiver candidates, including Art Monk, Michael Irvin, and Cris Carter. Although Irvin, Monk and Carter are now enshrined as of 2007, 2008 and 2013 respectively, the logjam became worse for Reed when he was again overlooked in 2009 and 2010, which saw wide receiver candidates Jerry Rice and Tim Brown both eligible for the first time. Rice has long been considered one of the greatest players in league history and was almost assured of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer, making 2010 a long shot for Reed. As expected, Rice was inducted, which cleared some of the logjam going forward for Reed. Reed remained a Hall of Fame candidate in 2011, 2012, and 2013 but was passed over each of those years.

On February 1, 2014, Reed was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he was inducted on August 2, 2014.

Since his NFL retirement in 2000, Reed has provided football commentary on the ESPN2 show, First Take, and appears periodically as a football analyst on NFL on Fox. He has also appeared on the Spike TV sports series Pros vs. Joes in the show's second season.

He is also known for Hawaii Five-0 where he appeared in "Ka'aelike" (Season 7, Episode 12). He played a federal prosecutor on MacGyver. He also appeared on Magnum PI Season 2 Episode 17 as himself and as a car salesman who abuses his uncanny resemblance to Andre Reed.

The Andre Reed Foundation was established in 2010 to help underprivileged children reach their full potential and become responsible contributors to their communities. Reed is currently a Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Ambassador after being inducted to their Hall of Fame in 2015. In addition, he leads up a literacy program for underprivileged youth in the BGCA, called Read with Reed 83 Challenge.

On October 18, 2014, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Reed's alma mater, renamed University Field to Andre Reed Stadium in his honor in a ceremony.

Reed is mentioned in the 1996 film Jerry Maguire as one of several NFL wide receivers with lucrative contracts, as Rod Tidwell, a fictional wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr., tells his agent, played by Tom Cruise, that his contract warrants high pay.

In 2023, Reed married Theresa Villano in San Diego, California. Reed has hosted an annual celebrity golf event for over 10 years. Reed's nephew, Jackson Reed, plays college football for Susquehanna University as a wide receiver. Reed regularly keeps in touch with Jackson, who also wears the number 83. Jackson attended his uncle's celebrity golf event in the summer of 2024 alongside friends and teammates from the Susquehanna Riverhawks Football team. Jackson, born and raised in Pennsylvania like his Uncle, is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles but still roots for the Buffalo Bills because of his uncle's history with the team.

In 2025, Reed was named commissioner of the Entertainment Football Association, an arena football league with teams along the Eastern Seaboard.

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The Story And Significance Of Walter Jones - Four Time First Team All-Pro Selection At Left Tackle

Walter Junior Jones is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League for 12 seasons. Born in Alabama, he played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

Jones played his entire professional career with the Seattle Seahawks, where he was a seven-time All-Pro selection and eventual NFL 2000s All-Decade Team honoree. Starting in each of his 180 games in Seattle, the Seahawks attempted more than 5,500 passes with Jones on the field, while Jones gave up a total of only 23 quarterback sacks, and was penalized for holding just nine times. On February 1, 2014, Jones was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Jones was drafted by the Seahawks in the first round with the sixth overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft. He started every game in which he played, beginning with his rookie season. Jones was a member of the 2005 Seahawks team that lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2006, Jones topped the list of the 101 best NFL players by the Sporting News.

Jones was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and seven-time All-Pro. Jones was perhaps the best at his position in the NFL during the early part of the decade, exemplified by being voted to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team. From 1998 through 2000, he helped Ricky Watters achieve three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons for the Seahawks and, later, paved the way for Shaun Alexander's NFL record-setting success.

Jones was recognized by John Madden as the best player in the NFL in 2004 in a broadcast. Madden recognized Jones in numerous broadcasts as the best left tackle in the NFL and possibly one of the best of all time.

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has called Jones the best offensive player he had ever coached.

On Thanksgiving 2008, Jones succumbed to a knee injury playing against the Cowboys in his 180th and final game. The injury required microfracture surgery to repair and immediately ended his season. Jones tried to play again in 2009 but was unsuccessful. On October 28, 2009, Jones was placed on injured reserve by the Seahawks. In a press conference the same day, Jones stated his intention to play in 2010. On April 29, 2010, Jones announced on his Twitter account that he would retire.

The Seahawks announced the retirement of his number, 71, and governor Christine Gregoire declared April 30 to be "Walter Jones Day" in the state of Washington.

On December 5, 2010, in a game versus the Carolina Panthers, in front of a crowd of over 66,000, the Seahawks honored the career of Jones by retiring his #71 jersey. This was only the second player number (#80 Steve Largent was the first) to be retired by the Seahawks (they have also retired #12 in honor of the fans).

On January 8, 2011, Jones lifted the 12th Man flag at Qwest Field before the Seahawks' wild card matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The 7–9 Seahawks went on to defeat the defending Super Bowl champion Saints 41–36.

On February 2, 2014, Jones served as the Seahawks' honorary captain at Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, prior to their 43–8 victory over the Broncos. This coincided with his election onto the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also helped former Giant and fellow Hall of Famer Michael Strahan toss the coin to end the pregame ceremonies.

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