Mack Strong
Encyclopedia
Mack Carlington Strong is a former professional American football
fullback and running back coach for the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. He currently is a football sportscaster for Root Sports Northwest. He was originally signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1993
after playing college football
at the University of Georgia
.
Strong was selected the Pro Bowl
twice in his career, in 2005
and 2006
. In 2007, he announced his intention to retire due to a neck injury and was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Mack and his family currently reside in Newcastle, Washington
.
in Columbus, Georgia
and was a letterman in football
, basketball
, and track
. In football, he had 4,414 rushing yards and 83 touchdowns during his career.
, and Shaun Alexander
. He held the Seahawks team record for longest rush in a playoff game with a 32-yard run during the 2005 divisional playoff
game against the Washington Redskins
until Marshawn Lynch
's 67-yard rush against the Saints on January 8, 2011.
In 2005
Strong was selected to his first NFL Pro Bowl and chosen as an Associated Press
All-Pro. He was known as one of the best blocking fullbacks in the NFL. Strong was again selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006.
Strong suffered a herniated disk in his neck that was causing trauma to his spinal cord
against the Pittsburgh Steelers
. The injury was said not to be paralysis
threatening if Strong discontinued his playing of football. On October 8, 2007, Strong announced his retirement after 15 seasons due to this injury. After discussions with head coach
Mike Holmgren
, he was able to take on a position assisting the team's running backs. While being interviewed on Monday Night Football
on November 12, 2007 he hinted at a possible future in the broadcast booth. Mack and his wife, Zoe, devote their time to working with the Washington Chapter of HOPE worldwide, a non-profit organization. Mack is a founder of their signature program in Washington state, the Mack Strong TEAM-WORKS Academy.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
fullback and running back coach for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He currently is a football sportscaster for Root Sports Northwest. He was originally signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
after playing college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Georgia
Georgia Bulldogs football
The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54...
.
Strong was selected the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
twice in his career, in 2005
2006 Pro Bowl
The 2006 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 12, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. It marked the 27th consecutive time that the National Football League's all-star game was held in Honolulu...
and 2006
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
. In 2007, he announced his intention to retire due to a neck injury and was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Mack and his family currently reside in Newcastle, Washington
Newcastle, Washington
Newcastle is an Eastside city in King County, Washington, United States. Its population was 10,380 at the 2010 census.Although Newcastle was not incorporated until 1994, it has been an important settlement and town since the late 19th century and played a major role in the development of Seattle...
.
Early years
Mack Strong played for the Fort Jr High Patriots before he attended Brookstone SchoolBrookstone School
Brookstone School is a private Pre-K-12 university-preparatory school located in Columbus, Georgia, USA. It was established in 1951 and relocated to its current campus in 1969.-Athletics:* Boys'/girls' cross country* Boys'/girls' track...
in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
and was a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. In football, he had 4,414 rushing yards and 83 touchdowns during his career.
Football career
Originally signed as free agent out of Georgia, Strong played his entire 15-year career with the Seahawks. He has blocked for three 1,000-yard rushers: Chris Warren, Ricky WattersRicky Watters
Richard "Ricky" James Watters is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Watters played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he played wide receiver on the...
, and Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama.- Early career :Alexander was born and...
. He held the Seahawks team record for longest rush in a playoff game with a 32-yard run during the 2005 divisional playoff
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
until Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, Lynch became the Bills' first 1,000-yard rookie rusher since Greg Bell in 1984...
's 67-yard rush against the Saints on January 8, 2011.
In 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
Strong was selected to his first NFL Pro Bowl and chosen as an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-Pro. He was known as one of the best blocking fullbacks in the NFL. Strong was again selected to the Pro Bowl in 2006.
Retirement
he 2007 season2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
Strong suffered a herniated disk in his neck that was causing trauma to his spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. The injury was said not to be paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
threatening if Strong discontinued his playing of football. On October 8, 2007, Strong announced his retirement after 15 seasons due to this injury. After discussions with head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
, he was able to take on a position assisting the team's running backs. While being interviewed on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
on November 12, 2007 he hinted at a possible future in the broadcast booth. Mack and his wife, Zoe, devote their time to working with the Washington Chapter of HOPE worldwide, a non-profit organization. Mack is a founder of their signature program in Washington state, the Mack Strong TEAM-WORKS Academy.