Mike Cloud
Encyclopedia
Michael Alexander "Mike" Cloud (born July 1, 1975) is a former American football
running back
in the National Football League
(NFL). He has played for the Kansas City Chiefs
, the New England Patriots
, and the New York Giants
.
, South Carolina
, and moved to Rhode Island
at age five. He attended Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth
, Rhode Island and played both offense
(running back) and defense
(linebacker
and cornerback
). He played college football
at Boston College
, where he rushed for a school record 3,597 yards in 45 games.
In 1997 he ran for 886 yards on 137 carries and scored 8 TD. In 1998 he ran for 1726 yards on 308 carries and scored 14 TD.
, and was the 54th overall choice. He played four seasons with the Chiefs, appearing in 56 of their 64 games but only starting
six. He gained 128 yards in the 1999 season
, which is still his career high. Late in the 2002 season
, Cloud tested positive for nandrolone
use and was suspended for the first four games of the 2003 season
. He later sued MuscleTech
after claiming that one of their over-the-counter supplements, Nitro-Tech, caused the positive test.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E0DF143FF933A25753C1A9659C8B63 Cloud spent 2003 with the Patriots in a reserve role. He scored five rushing TDs
in the 2003 season
, two apiece against the Tennessee Titans
and Indianapolis Colts
and one against the New York Giants. He went to the Giants for the 2004 season
, but was released before the 2005 season
began, and signed with New England as a free agent
on November 5 due to the injuries to Corey Dillon
and Kevin Faulk
.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in 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...
(NFL). He has played for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, and the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early life
Cloud was born in CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and moved to Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
at age five. He attended Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
, Rhode Island and played both offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
(running back) and defense
Defense (sport)
In many team sports, defense or defence is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring. The term may also refer to the tactics involved in defense, or a sub-team whose primary responsibility is defense...
(linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
). He played 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 Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, where he rushed for a school record 3,597 yards in 45 games.
In 1997 he ran for 886 yards on 137 carries and scored 8 TD. In 1998 he ran for 1726 yards on 308 carries and scored 14 TD.
Professional career
Cloud was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
, and was the 54th overall choice. He played four seasons with the Chiefs, appearing in 56 of their 64 games but only starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
six. He gained 128 yards in the 1999 season
1999 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1999 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the promotion of Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham to Head coach following the resignation of Marty Schottenheimer after the Chiefs' 1998 season. The team finished with a 9–7 record and 2nd place in the AFC West...
, which is still his career high. Late in the 2002 season
2002 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2002 Kansas City Chiefs season marked the franchise's 40th season in Kansas City, Missouri and ended with an 8–8 record and a tie for third place in the AFC West....
, Cloud tested positive for nandrolone
Nandrolone
Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
use and was suspended for the first four games of the 2003 season
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
. He later sued MuscleTech
MuscleTech
MuscleTech is a brand of sports nutrition supplements marketed by Iovate Health Sciences Inc.- History :Some products bearing the MuscleTech brand name include Anator P70, Anabolic Halo, Gakic Hardcore, Leukic Hardcore, Vitakic, supplements containing creatine and protein supplements .The brand...
after claiming that one of their over-the-counter supplements, Nitro-Tech, caused the positive test.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E0DF143FF933A25753C1A9659C8B63 Cloud spent 2003 with the Patriots in a reserve role. He scored five rushing TDs
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in the 2003 season
2003 New England Patriots season
The 2003 New England Patriots season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League and 44th season overall. They finished with a league-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII....
, two apiece against the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
and Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and one against the New York Giants. He went to the Giants for the 2004 season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, but was released before the 2005 season
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...
began, and signed with New England as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
on November 5 due to the injuries to Corey Dillon
Corey Dillon
Corey James Dillon is a former American football running back. He played his ten-season career for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, wearing jersey number 28 for both teams. Dillon played college football the University of Washington where he wore the number 4.-High school...
and Kevin Faulk
Kevin Faulk
Kevin Troy Faulk is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.As of 2010, Faulk is the longest-tenured current member of the Patriots,...
.