Miami Dolphins
McMichael was selected in the fourth round (114th overall) in the 2002 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. [2] The pick used by Dolphins to select him was originally acquired from the New Orleans Saints in the deal that sent running back Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins.
McMichael made his NFL debut in a starting role against the Detroit Lions on September 8, when he tied for team-lead with four receptions and led the team with 73 yards. He also scored his first NFL touchdown in the game, hauling in a Jay Fiedler pass from 16 yards out in the second quarter.
He started all 16 games in his rookie season, catching 39 passes for 485 yards and four touchdowns. His four receiving scores led the team, while his reception and yardage figures both were third. He became the first Dolphins rookie tight end ever to start every regular season contest. No Dolphins tight end had produced as many stats as McMichael had since Troy Drayton in 1997 (39 receptions, 558 yards, 4 touchdowns). McMichael's four touchdown catches were the third-highest figure by a Dolphins rookie at any position, and the most by a tight end, surpassing Ferrell Edmunds, who had three in 1988. McMichael had a reception in 15 of 16 games. Of his 39 catches, five went for 25 yards or longer – third-most on the team, trailing only James McKnight (9) and Chris Chambers (7).
Although he was the eighth tight end taken in the 2002 NFL Draft, McMichael's receiving totals ranked second among all NFL rookie tight ends in 2002, trailing only the New York Giants’ Jeremy Shockey – the 14th overall pick in the draft. McMichael's touchdown total was also the most of any rookie tight end in the league in 2002.
McMichael emerged as one of the top receiving tight ends in the league in his second NFL season, starting all 16 games and finishing with 49 receptions for 598 yards and two touchdowns. He added another touchdown on a fumble recovery. McMichael ranked third on the team in receptions and second in receiving yards. He led or shared the team-lead in receiving four times during the course of the season, while topping the team in receiving yards on five occasions. Of his 49 receptions, five went for 25 yards or longer (second-most on the team) trailing only Chris Chambers (8). He had a reception in all but one game. He ranked fourth among AFC tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards.
McMichael had his most productive game of the season and one of the top receiving days ever by a Dolphins tight end against the New England Patriots on October 19, when he caught eight passes for 102 yards. His eight receptions tied a team record for a tight end at the time, achieved three times previously, most recently by Keith Jackson who did it in a Divisional Playoff game on January 8, 1995, at the San Diego Chargers.
For the third straight year, McMichael started all 16 games. He was one of only two Dolphins offensive players to open every game in 2004, with offensive lineman Seth McKinney being the other. McMichael put together the most prolific receiving season of any tight end in Dolphins history, leading the team with 73 receptions while his 791 receiving yards ranked second, trailing only Chris Chambers, who registered 898 yards. He also scored four touchdowns on the season and had a two-point conversion to his credit. He had five receptions for 25 yards or longer on the season, tied with Marty Booker for second on the squad, trailing only Chambers, who had six. Overall, McMichael led the Dolphins in receptions eight times and in receiving yards on seven occasions over the course of the season. His reception total ranked 13th in the AFC. He tied for fourth in the AFC with 24 third-down receptions. His 73 receptions and 791 receiving yards both represent single-season standards for a Dolphins tight end, as he surpassed the previous marks set by Keith Jackson in 1994. For his performance during the season, McMichael was a first-alternate for the AFC Pro Bowl squad.
In 2005, McMichael started 16 games for the fourth straight year to open his career. He ended 2005 having opened 64 consecutive contests. On the year, he caught 60 passes for 582 yards and five touchdowns. His reception total and five receiving scores ranked second on the squad, while his yardage figure was third. All three figures placed him fourth among AFC tight ends. His reception figure was the second-highest single-season total by a Dolphins tight end, while his five receiving scores tied for fourth and marked a personal single-season best. McMichael led the team in receptions on six occasions and in receiving yardage once. He had a touchdown reception in each of the first four games of the season -the only player in the NFL to achieve this feat in 2005.
On October 7, 2005, McMichael signed a four-year contract extension with the Dolphins to keep him with the team through the 2009 season. The four-year extension was worth slightly more than $18 million in "new money" and includes $8.92 million in bonuses. On average, it ranked slightly behind the deal signed by fellow tight end Todd Heap of the Baltimore Ravens around the same time.
The Dolphins' offense struggled as a whole in 2006, and like Chris Chambers, McMichael was not consistently and often utilized by quarterback Joey Harrington. For the season, McMichael finished second on the team in receptions with 62 catches for 640 yards and three touchdowns. In a three-game span (from October 8 through October 22) he totaled 21 catches for 233 yards. He finished fifth among AFC tight ends in receptions and was sixth in receiving yards. He led the team in receptions five times and in reception yardage four times during the season.
For the fifth straight year, McMichael started all 16 games of the season. Through 2006, McMichael played 80 career games without ever missing a start. At season's end, McMichael was already the team's all-time leading tight end in receptions and receiving yards, and ranked third in touchdowns.
The Dolphins released McMichael on March 5, 2007, in lieu of paying him a $3 million bonus due the following week. [3]
