Mike Lewis (American football)

Last updated

Mike Lewis
Lewis-Mike-1972.jpg
Lewis in 1972
No. 69, 66
Position: Defensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1949-07-14) July 14, 1949 (age 75)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:261 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school: Yates (TX)
College: Arkansas AM&N
Undrafted: 1971
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games played:130
Starts:96
Sacks:25.0
Fumble recoveries:4
Interceptions:1
Safties:2
Player stats at PFR

Michael Henry "Mike" Lewis (born July 14, 1949) is a former defensive lineman who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. [1] [2] [3]

Biography

Mike Lewis was born July 14, 1949, in Houston, Texas. He attended Jack Yates High School in Houston.

Lewis attended Wiley College, private historically black college in Marshall, Texas, playing football there until the school dropped the sport in 1968. [4] He then transferred to Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he completed his college career in 1970. [4]

Lewis initially joined the Falcons at their training camp ahead of the 1971 season as a linebacker, but was moved to defensive end as the team already had seven veteran linebackers in camp and there was little chance of cracking the roster at that position. [4] His position switch helped him to make the club's 40-man roster. [4] He saw action in nine games for Atlanta during his rookie year, playing on special teams. [4]

Lewis was shifted to the interior of the defensive line in 1972 and became a starter at right defensive tackle. [5] He started every game for Atlanta at that position through the 1975 season. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessie Tuggle</span> American football player (born 1965)

Jessie Lloyd Tuggle Jr. is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 2000. He played college football for the Valdosta State Blazers. He appeared in the Pro Bowl five times, and played in Super Bowl XXXIII. His nickname is "the Hammer", because of the impact of his tackles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeMeco Ryans</span> American football player and coach (born 1984)

DeMeco Ryans is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the head coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Ryans played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was named a unanimous All-American.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xavier Adibi</span> American football player and coach (born 1984)

Xavier Oyekola Adibi is an American football coach and former player. He is a defensive analyst at Virginia Tech, and was previously the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M University–Commerce. He played college football at Virginia Tech. He was selected by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft and played professionally as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) with the Texans (2008–2010), Minnesota Vikings (2011), Chicago Bears (2012), and Tennessee Titans (2012). He was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.

Robert Herber Parsons was an American football punter and tight end who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Chicago Bears from 1972 to 1983 and later played with the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL).

Reginald Wayne Herring is an American football coach and former player and most recently the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). A former linebacker at Florida State University, he began his coaching career in 1981. He has now coached for 36 years across college and the NFL. Herring arrived in Denver to coach linebackers in 2015 after previous stops in the league with Chicago (2014), Houston and Dallas (2008–10). Herring has coached nine linebackers who have made Pro Bowl appearances during their careers, including outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware (9), Mario Williams (4), and Connor Barwin (1), and inside linebackers Zach Thomas (7), Keith Brooking (5), Lance Briggs (7), Brian Cushing (1), Sean Lee (2) and DeMeco Ryans (2). Herring also served as the interim head football coach for the University of Arkansas in the 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic.

Don Larry Talbert is a former American football offensive tackle who played eight years, interrupted by two years in Vietnam, in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys including the Super Bowl VI champion Cowboys. Prior to that he was an All-American college football at the University of Texas at Austin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Weatherspoon</span> American football player (born 1987)

Franklin De'Sean Weatherspoon is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Missouri, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Bush</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Frank Bush is a former American football linebacker and coach who is the linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Matthews (American football)</span> American football player (born 1992)

Jacob Thomas Matthews is an American football offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Falcons sixth overall in the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football at Texas A&M. He is a member of the Matthews family of football players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooks Reed</span> American football player (born 1987)

Brooks Reed is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Arizona and was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akeem Dent</span> American football player and coach (born 1987)

Akeem Dent is a former American football linebacker. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. He also played for the Houston Texans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barkevious Mingo</span> American football player (born 1990)

Barkevious Levon Mingo is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers (LSU) and was selected by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2013 NFL draft. He won Super Bowl LI with the New England Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Tuggle</span> American gridiron football player (born 1990)

Justin DuJian Tuggle is an American former Canadian football linebacker. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college football at Kansas State. Tuggle is the son of former five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Tuggle. He is also the brother of Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Means</span> American football player (born 1990)

Steven Means is an American football outside linebacker who is a free agent. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University at Buffalo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Jones (safety)</span> American football player (born 1990)

Don Jones II is a former American football safety. He played college football at Arkansas State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Worrilow</span> American football player (born 1990)

Paul Eric Worrilow is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Delaware where he was recognized as an All-American, and became one of the program's most decorated athletes. The Atlanta Falcons signed him as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elandon Roberts</span> American football player (born 1994)

Elandon Roberts is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Houston. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He plays primarily as a linebacker on defense, but when injuries during the 2019 season left the Patriots without a fullback on the roster, Roberts began to play that position as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmanuel Ellerbee</span> American football player (born 1996)

Emmanuel Ellerbee is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Rice and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demone Harris</span> American football player (born 1995)

Demone Harris is an American football defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). Harris played college football at Buffalo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Gibbens</span> American football player

Jack Gibbens is an American football linebacker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Abilene Christian and Minnesota, and was signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

References

  1. "Falcons all-time team has a high-powered offense and balanced defense". InsidetheHashes.com. July 27, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  2. Emerson, Seth; Butt, Jason (April 6, 2020). "Atlanta sports 'By the Numbers': The 60s". TheAthletic.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  3. "Mike Lewis Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Tom Bennett, 1972 Atlanta Falcons (media guide). Atlanta, GA: Atlanta Falcons Football Club, 1972; p. 29.
  5. 1 2 "Mike Lewis," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com/