Mike Peterson
Encyclopedia
Porter Michael "Mike" Peterson (born June 17, 1976) is an American professional football
player who has been a linebacker
in the National Football League
(NFL) for thirteen seasons. Peterson played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts
, Jacksonville Jaguars
and Atlanta Falcons
of the NFL.
in 1976. He attended Santa Fe High School in nearby Alachua, Florida
, where he played for the Santa Fe Raiders high school football
team.
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
, and played for coach Steve Spurrier
's Florida Gators football
team from 1995 to 1998. 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. 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.
Peterson was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2011.
selected Peterson in the second round (thirty-sixth pick overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
, and he played for the Colts for four seasons from to . Peterson also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
for the six seasons from to when he and coach Jack del Rio
had a verbal altercation during a team meeting, and has played for the Atlanta Falcons
since .
running back
Adrian Peterson and cousin of former NFL wide receiver Freddie Solomon
. He currently resides in Tampa, Florida
with his wife Chantal and his son Mike, Jr.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who has been a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for thirteen seasons. Peterson played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL.
Early years
Peterson was born in Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
in 1976. He attended Santa Fe High School in nearby Alachua, Florida
Alachua, Florida
Alachua is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. According to 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 7,554. The city is part of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is home to 243,985 people....
, where he played for the Santa Fe Raiders high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
team.
College career
Peterson received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, and played for coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1995 to 1998. He was a member of the 1996 Gators
1996 Florida Gators football team
The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's seventh season under head coach Steve Spurrier...
team that finished 12–1 and won the Bowl Alliance
Bowl Alliance
The Bowl Alliance was an agreement among college football bowl games for the purpose of trying to match the top two teams in a national championship bowl game and to provide quality bowl game matchups for the champions of its member conferences...
national championship by defeating the top-ranked Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
52–20 in the Sugar Bowl
1997 Sugar Bowl
The 1997 Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual game. It featured the top ranked , and their heated rivals, the third ranked Florida Gators. It was the designated National Championship Game for the 1996-97 season by the Bowl Alliance. The match up was supposed to feature the top two teams...
. 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. As a senior team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
in 1998, he was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) selection and a first-team All-American, and was selected as the Gators' most valuable player by his teammates.
Peterson was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2011.
Professional career
The Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
selected Peterson in the second round (thirty-sixth pick overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
, and he played for the Colts for four seasons from to . Peterson also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the six seasons from to when he and coach Jack del Rio
Jack Del Rio
Jack Del Rio is an American football coach and former player. Del Rio played both football and baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, and then spent eleven years playing linebacker in the National Football League . He retired from playing in 1996 and went into coaching,...
had a verbal altercation during a team meeting, and has played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
since .
Family
Peterson is the older brother of former Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Adrian Peterson and cousin of former NFL wide receiver Freddie Solomon
Freddie Solomon
.Freddie Solomon , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 2nd round of the 1975 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 184-lb. wide receiver from the University of Tampa, Solomon played in 11 NFL seasons for the Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers from 1975 to 1985...
. He currently resides in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
with his wife Chantal and his son Mike, Jr.
See also
- 1998 College Football All-America Team1998 College Football All-America TeamThe 1998 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News and Football News....
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1990–1999
- History of the Atlanta FalconsHistory of the Atlanta FalconsThe history of the Atlanta Falcons dates back when the Falcons joined the National Football League as a 1966 expansion team.-1965–1969:...
- History of the Indianapolis ColtsHistory of the Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
- History of the Jacksonville JaguarsHistory of the Jacksonville JaguarsThe history of the Jacksonville Jaguars, an American football team in the National Football League , formally dates to 1993, when the NFL awarded Jacksonville, Florida the expansion franchise that became the Jacksonville Jaguars...
- List of Florida Gators football players