Mike Merriweather facts for kids
| No. 57, 97, 58 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 26, 1960 Albany, New York, U.S. |
||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Vallejo (Vallejo, California) |
||||||||
| College: | Pacific | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1982 / Round: 3 / Pick: 70 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
Michael Lamar Merriweather (born November 26, 1960) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Mike played college football for the Pacific Tigers. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the 1982 NFL draft. He also played for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, and Green Bay Packers.
Contents
Mike Merriweather's Early Life and College Years
Mike Merriweather was born in Albany, New York. He grew up in Vallejo, California, where he went to Vallejo High School. There, he was a great athlete, playing football, baseball, and basketball.
After high school, Mike went to the University of the Pacific in Stockton. He played college football for the Tigers. Mike was also part of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Mike Merriweather's NFL Career Highlights
Starting with the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Mike Merriweather in the third round of the 1982 NFL draft. He was the 70th player picked overall. He quickly became a key player for the Steelers.
Mike was chosen for the Pro Bowl three years in a row. These were the 1984, 1985, and 1986 seasons. In 1984, he had 15 sacks, which was fifth best in the NFL. That year, he was also named a first-team All-NFL player. In 1987, the Steelers named him their Most Valuable Player.
Moving to the Minnesota Vikings
After a disagreement about his contract, Mike missed the entire 1988 season. He was then traded to the Minnesota Vikings in 1989.
In his first year with the Vikings, Mike made NFL history. He scored the winning points in an overtime game against the Los Angeles Rams. He blocked a punt out of the end zone, which resulted in a safety. This gave the Vikings a 23–21 victory. Before that, Vikings kicker Rich Karlis had scored all 21 points with seven field goals.
Final Seasons in the NFL
Mike's last season with the Minnesota Vikings was in 1992. He played his final NFL season in 1993. During that year, he played for both the New York Jets and the Green Bay Packers.
Awards and Recognition
Mike Merriweather has been honored for his football career many times. In 1993, he was added to the Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2004, he joined the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame. Then, in 2012, he was inducted into the Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame.
Life After Football
After his time in the NFL, Mike Merriweather started a new career. He worked as an insurance broker in Sacramento, California. In 2013, he became the athletic director at Vacaville Christian High School. Mike and his wife, Sandra, live in Stockton, California.
