McMichael (6-3, 248) is a eleven-year tight end in his third year with the Chargers. He signed as a free agent on June 4, 2010.
On numerous occasions, Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner has identified Randy McMichael as one of the team’s most valuable players. He’s been an invaluable backup to eight-time Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates, who has battled foot injuries in recent seasons. As durable as they come, McMichael has played in all 16 games in nine of his 10 NFL seasons and he’s appeared in 148 career games, starting 140. McMichael is utilized primarily as a blocking tight end in San Diego’s offense, but he has consistently made big catches when his number’s been called.
A fourth-round pick by Miami in 2002, McMichael spent his first two NFL seasons playing for Turner, then Dolphins’ offensive coordinator. McMichael became Miami’s most prolific tight end, catching 283 passes for 3,096 yards while not missing a single start in five seasons.
In 2011, McMichael became the 27th tight end in NFL history to reach 400 career catches. Surprisingly, the player who has more than 400 catches and nearly 4,500 receiving yards, has never been selected to play in the Pro Bowl. McMichael’s scored 24 career touchdowns and averages 10.8 yards per catch, but the closest he ever came was in 2004 when he was a first-alternate.
A single father of four, McMichael enjoys working with kids. In Miami, he started the Randy McMichael Foundation and hosts an annual shopping event for at-risk kids.
McMichael enjoys travel, golf and fine cigars. Countries he’s visited include the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Costa Rica and Trinidad. He and a friend also run a business renting jet skis on the beach in Trinidad.
McMichael’s mom, Angel, was a Sergeant in the Army. The family lived in Georgia, Virginia and Germany while Randy was growing up. Angel was a great athlete too, winning Georgia Player of the Year honors in basketball at Griffin High School in 1978. McMichael’s sister Kendra also played basketball, recently concluding her career at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina.
The Chargers’ decision to sign Randy McMichael as an insurance policy for Antonio Gates in 2010 proved to be a fortuitous one as he was able to step in when Gates was slowed for much of the season by a nagging foot injury. McMichael played in all 16 games, starting 11, and had two critical touchdown catches during a pivotal November win at Houston. He’s now back for a second run in San Diego.
A fourth-round pick by Miami in 2002, McMichael spent his first two NFL seasons playing for Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner, who was then serving as the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator. McMichael left the Dolphins as the team’s all-time most prolific tight end, catching 283 passes for 3,096 yards while not missing a single start in five seasons.
A single father of four, McMichael enjoys working with kids. In Miami, he started the Randy McMichael Foundation and still hosts an annual shopping event with at-risk kids.
McMichael enjoys travel, golf and fine cigars. Countries he’s visited include the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Costa Rica and Trinidad. Recently he and a friend opened a business renting jet skis on the beach in Trinidad.
McMichael comes from an athletic family. His sister, Kendra, is a junior small forward at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina and his mom, Angel, was the Georgia Player of the Year at Griffin High School in 1978.
TRANSACTION HISTORY: Miami’s fourth-round pick (114) April 21, 2002...signed July 25...re-signed Oct. 7, 2005 and March 14, 2006...released March 5, 2007...signed with St. Louis March 12...released June 2, 2010...signed with Chargers, June 4, 2010 and re-signed one-year deal July 30, 2011.
2011: Started for Antonio Gates (foot) Week 3 against Kansas City and had two key third-down catches on team’s first touchdown drive...he also ignited third-quarter touchdown drive with game-long 26-yard catch on first play...Caught his 400th career pass early in the third quarter against Denver in Week 5...he became the 27th tight end in NFL history to reach the 400-catch mark...had a season-long 30-yard catch on a fourth-quarter 3rd-and-10 against the Jets in Week 7.
2010: First-career multi-touchdown game with two touchdown catches Nov. 7 at Houston (11 and 12 yards)...second was one-handed grab between two Texans defenders.
2009: 100th career GS Sept. 13 at SEA.
2008: Placed on “Reserve-Injured” (foot) Oct. 6.
2007: First STL TD, 29 yards vs. ARI Oct. 7...did not start vs. Cardinals, ending streak of 84-straight starts to begin career.
2006: Nov. 12 vs. KC became MIA all-time leading receiver among TEs.
2005: TD catches in first four games, first Dolphin to do so in season since ’88 and first to do so in first four games of season since ’84.
2004: Pro Bowl first-alternate...third among AFC TEs in receptions (73) and yards (791)...career-high nine catches Dec. 26 vs. CLE.
2003: Career-high 102 yards vs. New England Oct. 19...Dolphins’ first 100-yard game by TE since ’88 and only sixth in franchise history.
2002: Pepsi NFL Rookie of Week after TD catch in NFL debut Sept. 8 vs. DET.
COLLEGE: First-team All-SEC as senior and honorable mention as soph...SEC and Sporting News Frosh All-America...90 catches for 1,213 yards and five TDs in career...missed all but one game in ’97 (thumb) and all of ’98 (knee)...played at Georgia from 1997-01...family and consumer science degree.
PERSONAL: Born in Griffin, Georgia...prepped at Peach County HS in Fort Valley, Ga...lettered in BKB and track.
