Michael Strahan is a multifaceted American icon known for his transition from a legendary professional football player to a prominent media personality. During his 15-season NFL career as a defensive end for the New York Giants, he achieved notable success, including a Super Bowl XLII victory and setting the single-season sack record in 2001. Following his retirement from sports, Strahan successfully transitioned into broadcasting. He became a household name as a co-host on Live! with Kelly and Michael, and later joined the ranks of Good Morning America. Additionally, he serves as a long-time analyst for Fox NFL Sunday. Beyond his hosting duties, Strahan has built a career as an entrepreneur and producer, solidifying his reputation as a versatile talent in the entertainment industry.
1965: Art Strahan joins the Houston Oilers
In 1965, Michael Strahan's uncle, Art Strahan, began his professional football career as a defensive lineman for the Houston Oilers.
1968: Art Strahan joins the Atlanta Falcons
During the year 1968, Art Strahan continued his professional football tenure by playing as a defensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons.
November 21, 1971: Birth of Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan was born on November 21, 1971, eventually becoming a prominent American television host and professional football player.
1981: Lawrence Taylor's Rookie Season
In 1981, Lawrence Taylor played his rookie season for the New York Giants. During this year, he recorded 9.5 sacks, a total that was not officially recognized as an NFL statistic until the following season in 1982.
1982: Sacks Become Official NFL Statistic
In 1982, the NFL began officially tracking and recording quarterback sacks as a formal statistic.
1990: Reference to Prior Giants Championship
In 1990, the New York Giants won a championship, which remained the franchise's last title until Strahan's final season in 2007.
1991: Dominant Junior Season Performance
During his junior season in 1991, Michael Strahan established himself as a premier NFL prospect by leading the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) with 14.5 quarterback sacks.
1992: SWAC Player of the Year and All-Conference Honors
In 1992, Michael Strahan earned First-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) honors and was named the SWAC's Player of the Year for the second year in a row, while also receiving the title of Black College Defensive Player of the Year.
1993: Selection by the New York Giants
In 1993, Michael Strahan was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the New York Giants, though his rookie season was limited to only six games due to injuries.
1997: Breakout Season and Pro Bowl Selection
During the 1997 season, Strahan experienced a breakout year by recording 14 sacks, earning his first Pro Bowl selection and a First-team All-Pro honor from the Associated Press.
1997: Beginning of Strahan's Prime
Starting in 1997, Michael Strahan began a period of dominance as a defensive end in the NFL that would last through 2005, during which time he was widely considered the best at his position.
1998: Continued NFL Success
Strahan maintained his high level of performance in 1998 by accumulating 15 sacks, which resulted in his second consecutive Pro Bowl and All-Pro team selections.
1999: Game-Winning Interception Return
In week 8 of the 1999 season, Strahan secured a 23–17 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles by returning an interception for a 44-yard game-winning overtime touchdown.
2000: Super Bowl XXXV Appearance
In 2000, Michael Strahan played a key role in the New York Giants' postseason run, which included a dominant 41–0 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game before ultimately losing to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV.
2001: NFL Single-Season Sack Record Set
During the 2001 NFL season, Michael Strahan established a new league record by recording 22.5 sacks, surpassing the previous record of 22 set by Mark Gastineau.
2001: NFL Defensive Player of the Year
In 2001, Michael Strahan achieved major recognition by being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the NFC Defensive Player of the Year.
January 6, 2002: Controversial Record-Breaking Sack
On January 6, 2002, Michael Strahan set his record-breaking sack total during the final game of the season against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, an event that later sparked accusations of the sack being intentionally gifted.
2002: Contract Dispute and Team Conflict
During 2002, Michael Strahan engaged in a contentious contract negotiation with the New York Giants, leading to public friction with teammate Tiki Barber and accusations that team management attempted to damage his reputation by leaking trade rumors.
2003: NFC Defensive Player of the Year
In 2003, Strahan received the honor of being named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career.
2004: Pectoral Muscle Injury
Throughout the 2004 season, Strahan struggled with a torn pectoral muscle, an injury that limited his performance on the field to just four sacks.
2005: Return to Pro Bowl Form
In 2005, Strahan rebounded from his previous injury to return to the Pro Bowl, partnering with Osi Umenyiora to record a combined 26 sacks for the New York Giants' defense.
October 23, 2006: Tying the Giants Franchise Sack Record
On October 23, 2006, Michael Strahan achieved a significant milestone by recording a sack against Drew Bledsoe during a Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys. This performance allowed him to tie Lawrence Taylor's New York Giants franchise record of 132.5 career sacks. This game marked his final sack of the 2006 season, as he subsequently suffered a Lisfranc fracture two weeks later that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
2006: Return from Potential Retirement
After missing the entire 2006 preseason and failing to report to training camp, the 14-year veteran Michael Strahan decided to return for his 15th and final season with the Giants.
September 30, 2007: Franchise Sack Record
On September 30, 2007, Michael Strahan set a new New York Giants franchise record by recording his 133.5th career sack against Donovan McNabb during a Sunday Night Football game.
2007: Retirement from the NFL
In 2007, Michael Strahan concluded his 15-year professional football career. By the end of this season, he had achieved significant statistics, including 141.5 career sacks, 854 tackles, four interceptions, 24 forced fumbles, and three touchdowns across 200 games, along with seven Pro Bowl selections.
2007: Super Bowl XLII Victory
In 2007, during his final season in the NFL, Michael Strahan helped lead the New York Giants to a championship victory in Super Bowl XLII.
February 3, 2008: Super Bowl XLII Victory
On February 3, 2008, Strahan recorded two tackles and one sack to help the New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII, marking a historic upset in the NFL.
June 9, 2008: Retirement from the NFL
On June 9, 2008, Michael Strahan officially announced his retirement from the National Football League after a long and successful career as a defensive end.
June 24, 2008: Michael Strahan joins Fox NFL Sunday
On June 24, 2008, it was officially announced that Michael Strahan would join the broadcasting team for the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show, working alongside colleagues Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson.
October 1, 2010: First Guest Hosting Appearance on Live! with Regis and Kelly
On October 1, 2010, Michael Strahan made his inaugural appearance as a guest co-host on Live! with Regis and Kelly, filling in for an absent Regis Philbin alongside Kelly Ripa.
November 2011: Regis Philbin Departs from Live!
In November 2011, longtime host Regis Philbin departed from the show, leaving a vacant co-hosting position that triggered a search for his permanent replacement.
September 4, 2012: Official Debut as Co-host of Live! with Kelly and Michael
Following two years of guest appearances, Michael Strahan officially became the permanent co-host of the rebranded talk show Live! with Kelly and Michael on September 4, 2012, leading to significant ratings growth.
2012: Beginning of Live! with Kelly and Michael
In 2012, Michael Strahan began his tenure as a co-host alongside Kelly Ripa on the morning talk show Live! with Kelly and Michael, a role he held until 2016.
February 2, 2013: Failed Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction
On February 2, 2013, during his first year of eligibility, Michael Strahan was not selected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
November 3, 2014: Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring Presentation
On November 3, 2014, Michael Strahan was officially presented with his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring during the halftime show of a game between the New York Giants and the Indianapolis Colts. The ceremony was attended by 100 former Giants players and his previous teammates.
2014: Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction
In 2014, Michael Strahan was honored for his collegiate achievements with an induction into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
2014: Joining Good Morning America as a Contributor
Michael Strahan expanded his broadcasting portfolio in 2014 by becoming a regular contributor to the morning news program Good Morning America.
April 19, 2016: Announcement of Departure from Live!
On April 19, 2016, ABC announced that Michael Strahan would exit his role as co-host of Live! with Kelly and Michael to transition into a full-time position on Good Morning America.
2016: Hosting The $100,000 Pyramid Revival
In 2016, ABC announced that Michael Strahan would host a summer revival of the classic game show The $100,000 Pyramid, which became a staple of their Sunday Fun & Games programming block.
2016: Transition to Full-Time at Good Morning America
In 2016, the network announced that Michael Strahan would depart from his co-hosting duties on Live! to become a full-time contributor on Good Morning America.
2018: Hosting Fox NFL Thursday
In 2018, Michael Strahan began hosting the Fox NFL Thursday pregame show alongside Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long, with the program being filmed in New York City to accommodate his existing schedule.
2018: Launch of GMA Day
In 2018, Michael Strahan started co-hosting the Good Morning America spin-off show originally titled GMA Day, working alongside co-host Sara Haines.
January 2019: Retitling to Strahan and Sara
In January 2019, the daytime talk show formerly known as GMA Day was officially retitled to Strahan and Sara.
August 2019: Addition of Keke Palmer
In August 2019, the program was renamed Strahan, Sara and Keke to reflect the addition of actress Keke Palmer to the hosting team.
March 2020: Hiatus Due to Pandemic
In March 2020, the talk show Strahan, Sara and Keke was placed on a temporary hiatus to allow for expanded ABC News coverage regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Suspension of Pyramid due to Pandemic
During the summer of 2020, production and broadcasting of The $100,000 Pyramid were halted as a direct result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
November 28, 2021: Retirement of Jersey Number 92
On November 28, 2021, the New York Giants officially retired Michael Strahan's jersey number 92 during a halftime ceremony held at their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
December 11, 2021: Suborbital Space Flight Aboard Blue Origin NS-19
On December 11, 2021, Michael Strahan participated in a suborbital space flight as a passenger aboard the Blue Origin NS-19 mission. During this trip, he set a record as the tallest person to ever travel to space, standing at 6 feet 5 inches.
2023: Gastineau Confronts Favre Regarding 2002 Sack
In 2023, Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre about the controversial 2002 record-breaking sack while filming an ESPN documentary, which ultimately led to a $25 million lawsuit.
May 6, 2025: Pursuit of Minority Ownership in the New York Giants
On May 6, 2025, Michael Strahan publicly expressed his interest in acquiring a minority ownership stake in the New York Giants, the professional football team where he spent his entire playing career.
2025: College Football Hall of Fame Induction
In 2025, Michael Strahan received further recognition for his historic defensive performance at Texas Southern University by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
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