Michael Curtis McCrary (born July 7, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for ten seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) between 1993 and 2002. McCrary was a two-time Pro Bowler in 1998 and 1999. McCrary was inducted to the Ravens Ring of Honor in 2004. McCrary is now doing commentary for the Ravens on WBAL-AM.

Michael McCrary
refer to caption
McCrary in Baltimore in 2017
No. 75, 99
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1970-07-07) July 7, 1970 (age 54)
Vienna, Virginia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College:Wake Forest
NFL draft:1993 / round: 7 / pick: 170
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:413
Sacks:71.0
Interceptions:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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When McCrary was a young boy his mother wanted to place him in a day care which was located across the street from his home. However, it wasn't racially integrated and she sued the day care to allow Michael's admittance. The case went to the United States Supreme Court Runyon v. McCrary in 1976. One of the justices who dissented was former football star Byron "Whizzer" White; a quarter-century later, in 2000, McCrary won the Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award.[1] He later attended George C. Marshall High School in Fairfax County, Virginia.

College career

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McCrary played college football at Wake Forest University from 1989 to 1992, setting school records for sacks in a season (16) and in a career (30), records he still holds.

When being scouted by NFL scouts they found his vertical leap was measured at 36 inches; and at 250 pounds, he came in at 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard sprint.

Professional career

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McCrary was drafted in the seventh round by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1993 NFL draft.[2] He spent four seasons as a defensive end as well as playing on special teams before signing with Baltimore following the 1996 season.

McCrary started all 16 games with the Ravens at defensive end during the 1998 season. That season, he led the team in quarterback sacks, and he finished second on the team in tackles. He was elected to the Pro Bowl along with five other Ravens' teammates, Bennie Thompson, Peter Boulware, Jermaine Lewis, Ray Lewis, and Jonathan Ogden.

In 1999, he again started all 16 games for the Ravens, and was elected to his second Pro Bowl. The following season, McCrary would again start all 16 games as the Ravens would have one of the greatest statistical defenses in NFL history, finishing 12-4 and allowing an NFL record 10.3 points per game. In the playoffs, McCrary would have 6 sacks, including 2 in Super Bowl XXXV, which McCrary and the Ravens won 34–7.

Due to various injuries, McCrary retired in August 2003, ending his stint with the Ravens. McCrary finished 2nd on franchise sack list with 51 sacks, now 3rd behind Terrell Suggs (125 QB sacks) and Peter Boulware (70 QB sacks).

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
GP GS Cmb Solo Ast Sck Sfty FF FR Yds TD Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
1993 SEA 15 0 8 0 0 4.0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1994 SEA 16 0 11 9 2 1.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1995 SEA 11 0 9 7 2 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1996 SEA 16 13 76 57 19 13.5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1997 BAL 15 15 69 56 13 9.0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1998 BAL 16 16 72 66 6 14.5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1999 BAL 16 16 58 43 15 11.5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2000 BAL 16 16 44 35 9 6.5 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
2001 BAL 10 10 51 34 17 7.5 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1.0 1 0 1
2002 BAL 5 2 5 3 2 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
Career 136 88 403 310 85 71.0 1 7 7 0 0 1 1 1.0 1 0 7

References

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  1. ^ Ollove, Michael (June 3, 2001). "Up In Arms!". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  2. ^ "1993 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.