Hall of Famer Michael Strahan – © USA TODAY Sports Images
Michael Strahan Elected to Hall of Fame: Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan (1993-2007) was officially elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Strahan played 15 seasons for the Giants and holds the team record for most regular-season games played with 216. He was voted to seven Pro Bowls and named All-Pro six times (four times first-team, two times second-team). Strahan was also named the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 and the NFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 and 2003. He accrued 141.5 sacks as a Giant. He still holds the NFL’s single-season sack record with 22.5 and is fifth all-time on the NFL’s career sack list.
“From the time that he retired, I always felt that he would be simply waiting for the mandatory time requirement before he became a Hall of Famer,” said Head Coach Tom Coughlin. “That’s what I always thought he would be and rightfully so. He takes his place along with the great, great defensive players of the game and the great Giants of the game who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame”
“It’s hard to find guys with everything, but this guy had everything…size, speed, power, toughness, endurance, motor, smarts, leadership, heart, love for the game, but what I admired most about Michael was his pride,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “No matter what the circumstances were, when he walked out on that field on Sunday, he was going to give it ALL to you. There aren’t many guys who can say that.”
“I’m thrilled for Michael,” said New York Giants President/CEO John Mara. “He was one of the greatest players in franchise history. Without him, there’s no way we would have won Super Bowl XLII. Not only was he a huge part of that team because of his play on the field, he was the leader of that defense. The other players looked up to him. He established a mark for consistency during his outstanding 15-year career. Very few people played the position as well as he did, particularly because he played the run as well as being a great pass-rusher. He was a leader and a great player and I’m delighted that he is going to his rightful place in Canton.”
“He’s a Hall of Famer player,” said former Giants General Manager Ernie Accorsi. “And I said this when he played: I’m sure there are others, but I have never seen an elite pass rusher that played the run as well as he did. Because it doesn’t happen. Now believe me, I understand the strategy that a lot of it was to negate his pass rush. But I know that (Vince) Lombardi used to run at Deacon Jones. You just didn’t run at Michael Strahan. That wasn’t going to do you any good at all. You might slow down his pass rush, but he was going to make the play. I’ve never seen someone who was that good against the run, and he wasn’t that big. He played with leverage and technique and his brains. He had talent, don’t get me wrong, but he was such a smart player.”
Coaches, teammates and opponents congratulate Strahan by Giants.com.
See the Hall of Fame Giants section of BBI for a complete list of Giants in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bob Papa on ESPN Radio: The audio of Friday’s ESPN Radio interview with New York Giants radio play-by-play voice Bob Papa is available at ESPN.com.
Fullback John Conner on ESPN Radio: The audio of Friday’s ESPN Radio interview with fullback John Conner is available at ESPN.com.
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