Christine Lynn Michael Sr.
(; born November 9, 1990) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Texas A&M
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
, and was drafted by the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
in the second round of the
2013 NFL Draft
The 2013 NFL Draft was the 78th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in ...
.
Early years
A native of
Beaumont
Beaumont may refer to:
Places Canada
* Beaumont, Alberta
* Beaumont, Quebec
England
* Beaumont, Cumbria
* Beaumont, Essex
** Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s
* Beaumont Street, Oxford
France (communes)
* Beaumont, Ardèche
* ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, Michael attended
West Brook Senior High School
West Brook Senior High School is a high school in the city of Beaumont, Texas. It is operated by the Beaumont Independent School District and was formed in 1982 as a court-ordered measure to integrate the schools of the formerly separate South Park ...
in Beaumont, and played high school football for the West Brook Bruins. He rushed for 4,234 yards on 501 carries. He was also named the District 21-5A Offensive MVP as a junior in 2007. He won the 2009
Walter Payton Trophy
The Walter Payton Trophy (also known as EAS Speed & Strength Award) has been awarded annually since 2005 to the most athletic high school football player in the United States. Modeled after one of the NFL's all-time greats, Walter Payton, the a ...
for the best
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
athlete. He participated in the 2009
U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and was a finalist for the 2008
Hall Trophy
The All-American Bowl Player of the Year Award (formerly known as the Hall Trophy and U.S. Army Player of the Year Award) has been awarded annually since 2000 to the most outstanding high school football player in the United States, comparable to t ...
for the best player in the nation.
Michael was also on the
West Brook Senior High School
West Brook Senior High School is a high school in the city of Beaumont, Texas. It is operated by the Beaumont Independent School District and was formed in 1982 as a court-ordered measure to integrate the schools of the formerly separate South Park ...
track team, where he competed as a sprinter. He was timed at 11.02 seconds in the
100 meters
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contest ...
as a junior. He was also a member of the
4 × 100m (42.00) and
4 × 200m (1:28.45) relay squads.
Considered a five-star recruit by
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
, Michael was listed the third best running back prospect in the nation (behind Hall Trophy winner and fellow US Army All-American
Bryce Brown
Bryce Lee Brown (born May 14, 1991) is a former American football running back who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks. He attended the University of Tennessee his freshman year of college, but decided to tra ...
and Alabama's
Trent Richardson
Trenton Jamond Richardson (born July 10, 1990) is an American football running back for the Caudillos de Chihuahua of Fútbol Americano de México. He played college football for the University of Alabama, was recognized as an All-American, and ...
).
College career
Michael accepted an athletic scholarship to attend
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
, where he played for the
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football program represents Texas A&M University in the sport of American football. The Aggies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Western Divisio ...
team from 2009 to 2012. In 2009, after posting 844 total rushing yards on 166 carries, Michael received Offensive Freshman of the Year honors from the
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
.
Michael underwent season-ending surgery during the 2010 season due to a cracked right tibia. He compiled 631 total yards for four touchdowns.
Professional career
Seattle Seahawks
Michael was selected in the second round (62nd overall) by the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
in the
2013 NFL Draft
The 2013 NFL Draft was the 78th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft, which is officially called the "NFL Player Selection Meeting", was held at Radio City Music Hall in ...
. During his first two seasons, Michael saw limited action as the third running back behind Pro-Bowl veteran
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
and backup
Robert Turbin
Robert James Turbin (born December 2, 1989) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the Utah State Aggies, and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seahawks. With the Seahawks, he won Su ...
. The Seahawks won
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
over the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
and made an appearance in
Super Bowl XLIX
Super Bowl XLIX was an American football game played to determine the champions of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2014 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conf ...
against the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
during that time. Michael was traded to the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
on September 6, 2015, after the Seahawks signed veteran
Fred Jackson. In exchange for Michael, the Seahawks received a conditional seventh-round draft pick (number 225,
Devin Lucien
Devin Lucien (born June 26, 1993) is an American football wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at UCLA before transferring as a graduate to Arizona State. He was drafted by the New En ...
).
Dallas Cowboys
Michael was acquired to help improve their depth at
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
with the departure of
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray (born February 12, 1988) is an American football coach and former running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. A three-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time first-team All-Pro, he was the NFL Off ...
via free agency. After being inactive the first three weeks, it was rumored during the Cowboys bye week that the coaching staff would possibly name him the starter. Instead Michael played in five games as a backup. On November 17, 2015, he was waived to make room for former Seahawks teammate
Robert Turbin
Robert James Turbin (born December 2, 1989) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the Utah State Aggies, and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seahawks. With the Seahawks, he won Su ...
.
Washington Redskins
On November 19, 2015, Michael was signed to the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
practice squad. He was released by the team on December 15, 2015.
Seattle Seahawks (second stint)
On December 16, 2015, the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
signed Michael after injuries to
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
and
Thomas Rawls
Thomas Tyrell Rawls (born August 3, 1993) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He played college football at Michigan and Central Michigan. Rawls currently holds th ...
. In his first game back with the Seahawks, Michael rushed for a career-high 84 yards against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
. Michael rushed a new career-high of 102 rushing yards, including a 45-yard run, against the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
two weeks later.
Michael received his first start in a playoff game in Seattle's Wild Card match up against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
and finished the 10–9 victory with 70 rushing yards and 14 receiving yards.
On March 17, 2016, Michael signed a one-year contract with the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
.
In Week 3 of the 2016 season, Michael had a then career game after rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
.
On November 15, 2016, the Seahawks released Michael, despite being their starting running back for seven games and leading the team in rushing yards and attempts. After much speculation, head coach
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
cited that his release was due to the return of
Thomas Rawls
Thomas Tyrell Rawls (born August 3, 1993) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He played college football at Michigan and Central Michigan. Rawls currently holds th ...
and the emergence of rookie running back
C. J. Prosise
Calvin "C. J." Prosise Jr. (born May 20, 1994) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.
Early years
P ...
alongside Michael's significant reduction in effectiveness on the field.
Green Bay Packers
Michael was claimed off waivers by the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
on November 16, 2016.
On March 23, 2017, Michael re-signed with the Packers on a one-year deal worth $800,000. On May 1, 2017, Michael was released by the Packers after the team drafted three running backs in the
2017 NFL Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft was the 82nd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It was held in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27–29, returning to Philadelphia f ...
.
Indianapolis Colts
On June 1, 2017, Michael signed with the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
. He was placed on injured reserve on June 15, 2017.
On March 21, 2018, Michael re-signed with the Colts. He was released on September 24, 2018.
St. Louis BattleHawks
In October 2019, Michael was drafted by the
St. Louis BattleHawks
The St. Louis BattleHawks are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is an owned-and-operated member of the new XFL owned by Dwayne Johnson’s Alpha A ...
in the
2020 XFL Draft
The 2020 XFL Draft was the inaugural player selection process to fill the rosters of the eight teams of the 2020 reboot of the XFL. The draft was held on October 15–16, 2019, via conference call, with results released through the XFL's social m ...
. In March, amid the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the league announced that it would be cancelling the rest of the season. Playing in all 5 games, he had 59 rushes for 178 yards and a touchdown. He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Personal life
Michael's first name, which is unusual for a male, is pronounced KRIS-tin . His mother told him she wanted her first child to be a girl, so she chose the name before she knew the baby's gender; she likened the name to the character in the
Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
song "
A Boy Named Sue
"A Boy Named Sue" is a song written by humorist, children's author, and poet Shel Silverstein and made popular by Johnny Cash. Cash recorded the song live in concert on February 24, 1969, at California's San Quentin State Prison for his ''At ...
."
In May 2016, he fathered a son named Christine Michael, Jr. and has since started wearing "Michael Sr." on the back of his practice and game jerseys.
References
External links
Texas A&M Aggies bioarchivedSeattle Seahawks bio (archived)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michael, Christine
1990 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Beaumont, Texas
Players of American football from Texas
American football running backs
Texas A&M Aggies football players
Seattle Seahawks players
Dallas Cowboys players
Washington Redskins players
Green Bay Packers players
Indianapolis Colts players
St. Louis BattleHawks players