On December 27, 1892, Biddle University defeated Livingstone 5-0 in Salisbury, NC. From that time forward, HBCU football has flourished. Some of the greatest players to ever play pro football attended HBCUs.

The North Carolina A&T Aggies are consensus HBCU football national champions. In honor of 125 years of HBCU football, boxtorow.com will highlight some of the most influential people in HBCU football. All persons highlighted played or coached at an HBCU. If a player, their influence could have taken place at the school or on the “next level.”

Today we look at former Texas Southern and New York Giants football player turned media personality Michael Strahan.

 

Strahan was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior in 1991 and 1992. As a senior he recorded 19 sacks and 32 tackles for losses totaling 142 yards. He finished his career with 41.5 sacks.

Strahan was selected in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played 15 years totaling 141.5 career sacks. In 2001, Strahan set the single season record for sacks with 22.5 sacks. That year he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. His Giants won Super Bowl XLII during the 2007 season, after which he retired.

Strahan was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

After his retirement from football, Strahan has had perhaps the biggest impact in the media then any former HBCU football player ever had. In 2008, he joined Fox NFL Sunday pregame show where he has been a part of ever since. From 2012-16 he was the co-host of Live! with Kelly and Michael. He left the show in 2016 to become part of Good Morning America full-time.

Strahan is also a member of the Black College Football Hall of Fame.

Each week, BOXTOROW will feature a new person, influential to HBCU football as we celebrate 125 years of HBCU football. Give us your thoughts. When on Social Media, use #HBCU125 Follow us on Twitter @boxtorow or Facebook box2row