Michael Strahan Says He Was ‘Just Surviving’ In High School

Michael Strahan is opening up about his earlier years in football and life.

On Thursday (Sept. 16), the former NFL star-turned Good Morning America host shared a clip from his episode of Uninterrupted’s ESPN series More Than an Athlete. In the video, the 49-year-old reflects on his path from childhood in German to New York Giants defensive end, and eventually, television personality.

“High school was, to me, surviving every day. I never felt like I had a handle on every day. It was just surviving every day,” he said about returning to Houston as a teenager and joining the football team at Westbury High School. “There was nothing happening in my social life. My life was school, and I played football, which was the real reason I was there. Westbury wasn’t exactly a powerhouse school. I was not necessarily an over-dominant, powerhouse player. I remember getting one sack in high school.”

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When speaking about playing against other students from other schools who “you’re reading about in the paper,” Strahan says he always felt like he was always playing from behind.

“I was never mentioned in anything like that,” he said. “So, I always felt like I was playing catch up to those guys.”

Things certainly changed in college and the pros. After playing at Texas Southern University, Strahan spent his entire 15-year pro football career with the New York Giants, where he set the record for most sacks in a season in 2001. He also helped lead his team to a Super Bowl win in 2008 over the New England Patriots during his final season.

Watch the full clip from season two of More Than an Athlete below.