 Turner with theAtlanta Falcons in 2013 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 33 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Running back | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1982-02-13)February 13, 1982 (age 43) North Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 247 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | North Chicago | ||||||||||||||
| College | Northern Illinois (2000–2003) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2004: 5th round, 154th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Michael Turner (born February 13, 1982) is an American former professionalfootball player who was arunning back in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theNorthern Illinois Huskies, earning second-teamAll-American honors in 2003. He was selected by theSan Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the2004 NFL draft, and also played in the NFL for theAtlanta Falcons. He was a two-timeAll-Pro and a two-timePro Bowl selection with the Falcons.
Turner attendedNorth Chicago Community High School inNorth Chicago, Illinois. In 1999, he led his team to a 6–4 mark and the first playoff bid in 8 years by rushing for 1,392 yards and 14 touchdowns (10.5 average). His biggest game was for 295 yards on 19 carries including touchdown runs of 67 and school-record 90 yards in a win overZion-Benton. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous first-team All-North Suburban Conference player. He finished his high school career with 2,732 rushing yards and 26 totaltouchdowns. Turner alsolettered intrack & field at North Chicago, where he was a sectional100-meter dash champion with a time of 11.15 seconds.
He attendedNorthern Illinois University and played football for theHuskies. As a junior, he finished second in the nation with 1,915 yards, including five 200+ yd games and two games with five touchdowns. In 2003, he finished second in theNCAA in rushing, behind his future NFL teammateDarren Sproles, with 1,648 yards. He left NIU with the school records for rushing yards (4,941), touchdowns (43) and all-purpose yards (5,392). Since his departure from NIU, two records (rushing yards and touchdowns) have been broken byGarrett Wolfe.
| Season | Team | GP | Rushing | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | |||
| 2000 | NIU | 11 | 200 | 983 | 4.9 | 7 | 4 | 45 | 0 |
| 2001 | NIU | 10 | 92 | 395 | 4.3 | 3 | 10 | 76 | 0 |
| 2002 | NIU | 12 | 338 | 1915 | 5.7 | 19 | 10 | 100 | 0 |
| 2003 | NIU | 12 | 310 | 1648 | 5.3 | 14 | 19 | 230 | 3 |
| Total | 45 | 940 | 4941 | 5.3 | 43 | 43 | 451 | 3 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft10+1⁄2 in (1.79 m) | 237 lb (108 kg) | 29+3⁄8 in (0.75 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 4.50 s | 1.56 s | 2.61 s | 4.15 s | 7.50 s | 31 in (0.79 m) | 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) | 22 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[1] | ||||||||||||
Turner was selected by the Chargers in the fifth round (154th overall) of the2004 NFL draft.[2] As arookie, Turner played mostly onspecial teams, butstarted and ran for 87 yards in the regular-season finale against theKansas City Chiefs.
Turner had again spent most of2005 on the bench as backup toPro Bowl starterLaDainian Tomlinson. But in the December 18 game against the undefeatedIndianapolis Colts, Turner came off the bench to run for 113 yards, including a game-clinching 83-yard touchdown.
During the 2007 off season, Chargers'General ManagerA. J. Smith stated that the Chargers would be willing to trade Turner in exchange for both a first and third round draft pick.[3] However, a day after2007 NFL draft concluded, A. J. Smith stated that Michael Turner would remain a Charger for the2007 season. He would no longer be accepting trade offers from other NFL teams for Turner.[4]
On April 26, 2007, Turner signed the $2.35 million, one-year tender he received from the Chargers after becoming arestricted free agent.
On January 13, 2008, Turner gained attention when he filled in ably for the Chargers' injured starter Tomlinson early in an AFC Divisional playoff game against theIndianapolis Colts, gaining 71 yards on 17 carries, including several key runs.
On March 2, 2008, theAtlanta Falcons signed Turner to a six-year, $34.5 million contract with $15 million guaranteed.[5] He was represented by agentJames "Bus" Cook.[6]
In his Falcon debut, Turner broke the Falcons' single game rushing record against theDetroit Lions on September 7, 2008, rushing for 220 yards on 22 carries with 2 touchdowns.[7] His 220 yards against the Lions marked the third-highest opening day rushing total behindO. J. Simpson’s 250 yards in 1973 andArian Foster's 231 yards in 2010 and his rushing total is also the most in NFL annals by a player in his first game with a new team and surpassed the previous mark of 202 yards setting by running backGerald Riggs on September 2, 1984. Coincidentally, Turner became the first Falcons offensive player of the week following an NFL season opening weekend since Riggs earned the honor after setting his record in 1984. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance.[8] On November 23, 2008, he set a personal record with 4 rushing TDs in a victory over theCarolina Panthers. He compiled 117 yards rushing during that same game.[9] His seventeen rushing touchdowns during the 2008 season broke the Atlanta Falcons' single season record of 14 set byJamal Anderson in 1998, it is also the second-most in NFL history for a first season with a team behind onlyEric Dickerson (18).[10] He finished the year with 1,699 yards (a 4.5 ypc avg) and 17 rushing touchdowns. He is the first Atlanta Falcon in history to start and finish a season with 200 yard rushing performances (220 against Detroit week 1 and 208 against St. Louis week 17).
On December 16, 2008, Turner was named to the 2009 Pro Bowl, along with fellow Falcon WRRoddy White.[11]
Turner and teammatesRoddy White,Eric Weems,Ovie Mughelli,Brent Grimes,Tony Gonzalez,John Abraham,Tyson Clabo, andMatt Ryan were voted to the2011 Pro Bowl.[12] Turner was ranked 42nd by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[13]
On January 1, 2012, Turner brokeGerald Riggs's franchise rushing touchdown record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Turner rushed for two touchdowns, bringing his total rushing touchdowns as a Falcon to 60.[14] He was ranked 88th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2012.[15]
On March 1, 2013, Turner was released by the Falcons after failing a physical, saving the team $6.9 million in salary-cap space.[16][17]
After his release from the Falcons, Turner did not sign with another NFL team.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2004 | SD | 14 | 1 | 20 | 104 | 5.2 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 2.0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2005 | SD | 16 | 0 | 57 | 335 | 5.9 | 83T | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | SD | 13 | 0 | 80 | 502 | 6.3 | 73 | 2 | 3 | 47 | 15.7 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | SD | 16 | 0 | 71 | 316 | 4.5 | 74T | 1 | 4 | 16 | 4.0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 376 | 1,699 | 4.5 | 70T | 17 | 6 | 41 | 6.8 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2009 | ATL | 11 | 11 | 178 | 871 | 4.9 | 58T | 10 | 5 | 35 | 7.0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 2010 | ATL | 16 | 15 | 334 | 1,371 | 4.1 | 55 | 12 | 12 | 85 | 7.1 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | ATL | 16 | 15 | 301 | 1,340 | 4.5 | 81T | 11 | 17 | 168 | 9.9 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2012 | ATL | 16 | 16 | 222 | 800 | 3.6 | 43 | 10 | 19 | 128 | 6.7 | 60T | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 134 | 74 | 1,639 | 7,338 | 4.5 | 83 | 66 | 70 | 528 | 7.5 | 60 | 1 | 17 | 11 | |
Media related toMichael Turner (American football) at Wikimedia Commons