Mike Peterson

Last updated

Mike Peterson
Mike Peterson.jpg
Peterson with the Falcons in 2009
Florida Gators
Position:Outside linebackers coach
Personal information
Born: (1976-06-17) June 17, 1976 (age 48)
Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:226 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school: Santa Fe (Alachua, Florida)
College: Florida
NFL draft: 1999  / round: 2 / pick: 36
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
  • Florida (2013)
    Student assistant
  • Florida (2014–2015)
    Strength and conditioning coach
  • South Carolina (2016–2021)
    Outside linebackers coach
  • Florida (2022–present)
    Outside linebackers coach
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:951
Sacks:21.5
Forced fumbles:8
Interceptions:19
Pass deflections:37
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Porter Michael Peterson (born June 17, 1976) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the outside linebackers coach at the University of Florida. He most recently was the outside linebackers coach at the University of South Carolina. Peterson played college football for the Florida Gators, where he was a member of a national championship team and earned first-team All-American honors. He was a second-round pick in the 1999 NFL draft and played professionally for thirteen seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He is the older brother of former Chicago Bears Running Back Adrian Peterson

Contents

Early years

Peterson was born in Gainesville, Florida in 1976. [1] He attended Santa Fe High School in nearby Alachua, Florida, [2] where he played for the Santa Fe Raiders high school football team.

College career

Peterson accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and played for coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators football team from 1995 to 1998. [3] [4] [5] He was a member of the 1996 Gators team that finished 12–1 and won the Bowl Alliance national championship by defeating the top-ranked Florida State Seminoles 52–20 in the Sugar Bowl. Peterson started twenty-four of forty-two games in which he played, posted 249 tackles, three forced fumbles, thirteen tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks. [3] As a senior team captain in 1998, he was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection and a first-team All-American, and was selected as the Gators' most valuable player by his teammates. [3] [4] [5]

Peterson was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2011. [6] [7] [4] [5]

College awards and honors

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 1+12 in
(1.87 m)
233 lb
(106 kg)
31+14 in
(0.79 m)
9+18 in
(0.23 m)
4.47 s1.56 s2.60 s4.08 s36.0 in
(0.91 m)
9 ft 10 in
(3.00 m)
18 reps
All values from NFL Combine [8]

The Indianapolis Colts selected Peterson in the second round (36th overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. [9] The Colts acquired the pick from the St. Louis Rams in exchange for Marshall Faulk. [10]

He played for the Colts for four seasons from 1999 to 2002. [11] Peterson also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars for the six seasons from 2003 to 2008 when he and coach Jack del Rio had a verbal altercation during a team meeting. [12]

Peterson played for the Atlanta Falcons from 2009 to 2012. [11] On March 13, 2012, he became an unrestricted free agent, [13] but re-signed with the Falcons on July 23, 2012. Peterson again became an unrestricted free agent in 2013. [14]

NFL awards and honors

Coaching career

Upon retirement from the NFL, Peterson returned to the University of Florida in 2013 to complete his undergraduate degree. [4] He first worked as an undergraduate assistant coach on the Gators strength and conditioning staff then took over as its coordinator in 2014 after graduating. [4] [5]

In 2016, Peterson was hired as outside linebackers coach on Will Muschamp's staff at South Carolina. [4] [5]

On January 5, 2022, Peterson was hired as outside linebackers coach on Billy Napier's staff at Florida.

Personal life

Peterson is the older brother of former Chicago Bears running back Adrian Peterson and cousin of former NFL wide receiver Freddie Solomon. [5] Peterson is married to his wife Chantal and they have two sons: Mike Jr. and Gavin. [4] [5]

Peterson and his wife established the Mike Peterson Foundation in 2004. The foundation was constituted in an attempt to support and benefit under-served youth and socio-economically challenged families in Peterson's hometown of Alachua, Florida and his NFL cities of Jacksonville and Atlanta. Since its inception, the Mike Peterson Foundation has already served over 15,000 youth and families through several community events and programs, most notably the Top Dog Readers Club literacy program at the Grove Park Elementary School in Atlanta. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Mularkey</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

Michael Rene Mularkey is an American former professional football coach and tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1983 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers and lasted until the final round of cuts. Mularkey then signed with the Minnesota Vikings with whom he played for six seasons before playing another three with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ike Hilliard</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Isaac Jason Hilliard is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played primarily with the New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindy Infante</span> American football player and coach (1940–2015)

Gelindo "Lindy" Infante was an American football player and coach, who became an offensive coordinator and head coach in both the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Football League (USFL). Infante played college football for the University of Florida, and later served as the head coach of the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL, and the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts of the NFL.

Michael Wayne Pearson is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Pearson played college football for the Florida Gators, earning consensus All-American honors. A second-round pick in the 2002 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL and the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Ortega</span> American football player (born 1953)

Ralph Ortega is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1970s and early 1980s. Ortega played college football for the University of Florida, and received All-American honors. A second-round pick in the 1975 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquand Manuel</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Marquand Alexander Manuel is an American football coach and former safety who is the Safeties coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and as an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks. After playing college football for the University of Florida, he was selected in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played for eight seasons in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions. He was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018.

Doug Johnson, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the early 2000s. Johnson played college football for the Florida Gators, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns, and the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He is in the Florida Georgia Hall of Fame, and played in minor league baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Moss</span> American football player (born 1984)

Jarvis Jaray Moss is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football for the University of Florida, received All-American honors, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team in 2006. Moss was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Broncos and Oakland Raiders.

David Lamar Little, Sr. was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s and early 1990s. Little played college football for the Florida Gators, earning consensus All-American honors in 1980. Selected late in the seventh round of the 1981 NFL draft, he played professionally for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and became a nine-season starter.

Ellis Bernard Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Johnson played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as the National Defensive Player of the Year. He was selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos of the NFL.

Michael Dondril Nattiel is an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 2000s. Nattiel played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.

Willie Bernard Jackson Jr. is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Florida. As a football coach, he was the wide receivers coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).

Huey L. Richardson, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the 1990s. Richardson played college football for the Florida Gators and earned All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1991 NFL draft and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and the New York Jets.

Christopher Paul Doering is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1990s and 2000s. Doering played college football for the Florida Gators, earning second-team All-American honors in 1995. He played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts, the Denver Broncos, the Washington Redskins, and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Joseph Frederick Weary is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1990s and 2000s. Weary played college football for the Florida Gators football, was a member of a national championship team, and earned consensus All-American honors. Thereafter, he played professionally for the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams of the NFL.

Terry Jerome LeCount is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. LeCount played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.

John Richard Symank was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1950s and 1960s. Symank played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL. He was later the head coach for Northern Arizona University and the University of Texas at Arlington football teams.

Harmon Leon Wages is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1960s and 1970s. He played college football for the University of Florida and, thereafter, played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.

Alonzo Al Johnson was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s. Johnson played college football for the Florida Gators, and was recognized twice as a first-team All-American. He was selected in the second round of the 1986 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Brown (American football)</span> American football player (1943–2020)

Joseph Barry Brown was an American former college and professional football player who was a linebacker and tight end in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for five seasons during the 1960s and early 1970s. Brown played college football for the University of Florida, and was drafted in nineteenth round of the 1965 NFL draft. He played professionally for the Baltimore Colts, New York Giants and Boston Patriots.

References

  1. Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, Mike Peterson. Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  2. databaseFootball.com, Players, Mike Peterson Archived July 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 19, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 89, 94, 97, 98, 99, 103, 125, 149, 153, 185 (2011). Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 University of South Carolina, Mike Peterson. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Mike Peterson Named Outside Linebackers Coach," University of South Carolina (January 26, 2016). Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  6. F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  7. "Eight Gators To Be Inducted Into UF Athletic Hall of Fame Friday Night Archived October 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine ," GatorZone.com (April 8, 2011). Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  8. "Mike Peterson College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  9. "1999 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  10. National Football League, Draft History, 1999. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  11. 1 2 National Football League, Current Players, Mike Peterson. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  12. Chris Mortensen, "Peterson Not Allowed to Practice Again; Benching or Suspension Likely," ESPN (November 6, 2008). Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  13. D. Orlando Ledbetter, "Three key Falcons' starters become free agents," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 13, 2012). Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  14. D. Orlando Ledbetter, "Which free agents should the Falcons retain?," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (January 31, 2013). Retrieved May 20, 2013.

Bibliography