Super Bowl champion Michael Strahan, who retired from the NFL in 2007 after a stellar 15-season career with the New York Giants, is contemplating another significant retirement—this time from television. At 52, Strahan has become a household name, not just for his football prowess but also for his extensive work on television. He currently co-hosts “Good Morning America” and serves as an analyst for “Fox NFL Sunday.” However, his family, particularly his daughter Isabella, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in October, is a major factor in his consideration to step away from the small screen.
In a candid conversation on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger,” Strahan opened up about the impact of his daughter’s diagnosis and how it has reshaped his priorities. He has taken time off to support Isabella through her chemotherapy treatments, a period that has profoundly affected his outlook on life. “You’d think I’m the athlete, the tough guy, the father in the family. It is not about any of that. It has really made me change my perspective on so many things,” Strahan shared during an interview on “GMA.”
The experience has underscored the importance of family time for Strahan, who is also a father to three other children. He expressed a desire to be more present in their lives, especially as they grow older and head off to college. “I love my life and I enjoy my life, but at some point, my kids are in college, I want to be able to go to college and say, ‘Yeah, let’s take a trip,’ rather than have to work around my schedule and the NFL schedule,” he said.
While Strahan acknowledges that retirement from television is inevitable, he has not set a specific timeline. He mentioned a friendly bet with a friend about how many more years he will continue to work, but he kept the details private. “I want a life where there’s some freedom at some point. Is it in two years, three years, five years, fifteen, twenty?” he pondered. Despite the uncertainty, Strahan emphasized that his decision would not be driven by financial considerations but by his passion for the work. “I don’t want to lose gratefulness of being there and being a part of something,” he said. “I’ll be off TV before a lot of people are sick of me being on TV.”
Strahan even has a whimsical vision of how he might announce his retirement, likening it to a scene from the movie “Forrest Gump.” “One day I may be like Forrest Gump when he’s jogging, and then he just stops and he’s got all these people behind him, and he turns around and says ‘I’m going home now.’ And they’re like ‘What? That’s it?’ That’s me when it’s over. Turn around and go home.”
Strahan’s journey from NFL star to television personality has been nothing short of remarkable. After leading the New York Giants to a Super Bowl victory, he transitioned seamlessly into broadcasting, co-hosting “Live! with Kelly and Michael” before joining “Good Morning America.” He also runs SMAC, a talent management and production company, with Constance Schwartz-Morini.
Reflecting on his career, Strahan noted that his transition from sports to television was not as easy as it might appear. “Football was not easy for me. I didn’t grow up playing football; I had to figure it out and moved to this New York City where you either sink or swim,” he said. “After playing football, to be honest with you, everything I do now is gravy, and not gravy because it’s easy, it’s gravy because I know physically and mentally, I’ve done about the hardest thing anyone can ever do that I’ll ever do.”
Strahan’s story is a testament to resilience and adaptability. He has managed to carve out a successful second act, much like other sports legends such as Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. His journey has been documented in Season 2 of UNINTERRUPTED’s “More Than an Athlete” series, available on ESPN+. The series offers a deep dive into Strahan’s life, capturing both his triumphs and challenges.
In an interview about the series, Strahan discussed the importance of being more than just an athlete. “It means that you don’t settle for just the status quo. You don’t settle for, you’re an athlete and that’s all you can do. You don’t settle for the stereotype of what an athlete should be,” he explained. “I pride myself in being able to do more than being a football player.”
Strahan also touched on the misconception that his transition was effortless. “I think maybe that is it, or maybe people never understood my story because I came on into their consciousness at a time where I was already through a lot of that struggle that most people already know about,” he said. “Most people probably don’t know I went to an HBCU. I was at Texas Southern, man, and then to go to the pros and do what I do now, I’m always smiling because I realized that there’s an alternative to doing what I’m doing, and that means not doing what I’m doing.”
Strahan’s humility and gratitude are evident as he acknowledges the support he has received along the way. “I am not self-made. I am made in a piece of many people,” he said. “I had coaches who encouraged me. I had business partners, my best friend, who encouraged me. I had my mom and my dad, two people who were the most influential people who believed in me when no one else did.”
As Strahan contemplates his future, he remains focused on the present, cherishing the opportunities he has and the people who have helped him along the way. Whether he decides to retire from television in the near future or continues to grace our screens for years to come, one thing is certain: Michael Strahan’s impact will be felt long after he steps away from the spotlight.
Source: Graham Bensinger, Good Morning America, ESPN+
