Tyrone Wheatley facts for kids

Tyrone Anthony Wheatley Sr. (born January 19, 1972) is an American college football coach and former professional player. He is currently the head football coach for Wayne State University, a job he started in 2023. Before that, he was a running backs coach for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a running back for 10 seasons in the NFL.

In high school, Tyrone Wheatley was named Michigan's best athlete in both football and track and field. He went to the University of Michigan and earned top honors in both sports. He is one of the Wolverines' all-time best rushers. He also won several Big Ten championships in football and track.

After college, Wheatley was picked by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft. He later played for the Oakland Raiders, where he was a top rusher for the team. During his NFL career (1995–2004), he gained over 6,500 yards as a running back and kickoff returner.

After retiring from playing, Wheatley returned to his hometown to coach high school football. He has also coached running backs for several college teams, including his alma mater, the Michigan Wolverines. He also coached for NFL teams like the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Early Life and Family

Tyrone Wheatley was born in Inkster, Michigan. He faced challenges early in life. His father passed away when he was two, and his stepfather died when he was 13. This meant Tyrone, his sister, and his younger half-brother, Leslie Mongo, had to move in with an aunt. Tyrone took on a big role in caring for his younger siblings and cousins. He wanted them to know they could always count on him.

From a young age, Tyrone was very involved in sports. He ran track competitively as an eight-year-old and was known for his discipline. Even while playing football in college and as a professional, he continued to look after his younger family members. He even moved his youngest brother, Leslie, to New Jersey so he could go to school there. Leslie later became a successful athlete himself.

School Achievements

High School Success

The Silverdome hosted the MHSAA state football championships for many years.

Tyrone Wheatley went to Hamilton J. Robichaud High School in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He was an amazing athlete there, winning nine state championships in Michigan. Seven of these were individual titles in track and field, and two were team championships in track and football.

He is one of the highest-scoring football players in Michigan high school history. He led his team to a state football championship in 1990, playing eight different positions! In that championship game, he ran for 165 yards and scored a touchdown, helping his team win 21–7. Many people say he was the greatest high school football player in Michigan history.

In track and field, he was named Michigan High School Track and Cross Country Athlete of the Year in 1991. He won seven individual state titles, including the long jump, 100 meters, and 110 meter hurdles twice. He also won the 200 meters once. In his junior year, he became the first athlete in Michigan history to win four individual track and field state championships in the same year! He even set a state record in the long jump that stood for a long time. Tyrone was also a good basketball player and could even slam dunk.

College Football and Track

Tyrone Wheatley was the MVP of the 1993 Rose Bowl.

Tyrone Wheatley decided to stay in Michigan for college and attended the University of Michigan on a sports scholarship. He played running back for the football team for four years and ran track for three years. He was highly recognized in both sports, earning top honors and All-American awards.

In football, he set many school records. He ranks third in Michigan football history for career points and second for career touchdowns. His 47 rushing touchdowns were among the best in Big Ten history. In 1992, he was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the MVP award in the 1993 Rose Bowl, where he ran for 235 yards and scored three touchdowns!

He is fifth on Michigan's all-time rushing yards list with 4,178 yards. He was chosen for the All-Big Ten team three times. Even when he was a freshman, he set a record for yards per attempt. He was considered one of the best running backs in the nation during his college career.

In track, he also excelled. In 1994, he won the Big Ten outdoor 110 metre hurdles championship. He also earned All-American honors in 1995. He had some of the fastest times in Michigan history for the indoor 60 metres, outdoor 110-meter hurdles, and outdoor 100-meter dash.

Playing in the NFL

New York Giants (1995–1998)

The New York Giants drafted Tyrone Wheatley in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He signed a five-year contract with the team. The Giants hoped he would be their future star running back.

However, Wheatley was not used much during his four seasons with the Giants. He started only eight games. He also had some challenges, like being late for meetings or having concentration issues. Despite these problems, his teammates liked him and respected his talent. They said he could outrun wide receivers and outlift linemen! After the 1998 season, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins.

Oakland Raiders (1999–2004)

Wheatley was cut by the Miami Dolphins before the 1999 season began, but he quickly signed with the Oakland Raiders. This move was a great change for him. In Oakland, he found much more success.

He rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season and led the Raiders in rushing three times. He also helped the team reach the playoffs three years in a row, including one Super Bowl appearance. He is the seventh leading rusher in Oakland Raiders history. Seven of his eight career 100-yard rushing games happened while he was with the Raiders.

Under coach Jon Gruden, Wheatley became a key part of the Raiders' offense. In 1999, he was the team's leading rusher. In 2000, he had the best season of his career, rushing for 1,046 yards and scoring 9 touchdowns. The Raiders went 12–4 that year and reached the AFC Championship game. He had three games where he rushed for over 100 yards, including a career-high 156 yards in one game.

In 2001, the Raiders' offense focused more on passing, but Wheatley still contributed. In 2002, he played in the 2003 Super Bowl against his former coach, Jon Gruden. Even though the Raiders didn't win, Wheatley was re-signed. In 2003, he again led the Raiders in rushing yards. His NFL career ended in 2004 due to a hamstring injury.

Coaching Career

After retiring from playing, Tyrone Wheatley returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2005, he volunteered as a track coach at the University of Michigan while finishing his college degree. In 2006, he became the track coach at his old high school, Robichaud High School. He also became their football coach. In 2007, his high school football team went from a 0–9 record the year before to an 8–1 regular season record, making the playoffs for the first time in 13 years!

Since then, Wheatley has coached running backs for several college teams, including Ohio Northern University, Eastern Michigan University, Syracuse University, and his alma mater, the Michigan Wolverines. He also coached in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.

From 2019 to 2021, he was the head coach for Morgan State Bears football. In 2022, he returned to the NFL as the running backs coach for the Denver Broncos. In 2023, he became the head football coach at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Personal Life

Tyrone Wheatley is married to Kimberly, and they have three sons and two daughters. Their oldest son, Tyrone Jr. (known as TJ), followed in his father's footsteps and played football for the University of Michigan. Another son, Terius, committed to play football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. In 2012, Tyrone Wheatley was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

As a Raider, Wheatley had five 100-yard rushing games in home wins at the Oakland Coliseum (left) and two in losses against the Seattle Seahawks at the Kingdome (center) and Husky Stadium (right).

Jon Gruden's west coast offense brought out the best in veterans like Wheatley.

See also

• Lists of Michigan Wolverines football rushing leaders