Mike Hammerstein
Encyclopedia
Mike Hammerstein is a retired professional American football
player who played defensive end
in the National Football League
for the Cincinnati Bengals
. Prior to that he played defensive tackle for the University of Michigan
Wolverines
football
teams from 1982
-1985
.
, Hammerstein joined the Wolverines as an offensive lineman in the 1981
season and played sparingly. He then redshirted and played four years (1982–1985) as a defensive tackle. He wore #66 for his whole Michigan career, while his brother Mark wore #78 as an offensive lineman from (1982-1986
). During his career, he tied a single season record for tackles
for losses with 23 while setting the record for yardage lost, sacking
opponents for 112 yards lost in 1985. Hammerstein was also named the Most Valuable Player
of the 1985 Fiesta Bowl
(a 27-23 win over Nebraska). In the game he had two important quarterback sack
s. He was named first team All-American by the AP, UPI, and Kodak.
In 1985, Hammerstein was paired on the defensive line with Mark Messner
. Led by the strong defense of Hammerstein and Messner, the 1985 team went 10-1-1 and finished the year ranked #2 in the nation. In 1985, Hammerstein had 19 tackles for losses (#4 all-time best season at Michigan) for -101 yards (tied for #5). The defense was among the nation's leaders in scoring defense as it yielded only 8.1 pts. per game in 1985. The defense has been described as the best defense in the history of Michigan football.
Hammerstein finished his career as the third highest in Michigan football history in career tackles for losses with 37 for 116 yards.
where the Cincinnati Bengals had eight selections in the first four rounds, Hammerstein was the Bengals second of three third round choices and the 65th overall when taken with the tenth pick in the third round. Hammestein played defensive end
for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1986
-1990
under Sam Wyche
. Oddly, the 1986 Bengals team went 10-6, but the only playoff team Mike played on was the 1990 team that went 9-7 and advanced to the second round of the 1990 NFL playoffs
. The 1990 team only had one Pro Bowl
er on defense (defensive back
David Fulcher
), but with Pro Bowlers James Brooks, Rodney Holman
and Anthony Munoz
on offense they were able to cause some trouble in the playoffs. Hammerstein was part of the solid supporting cast. In the NFL, Hammerstein had no interceptions or forced fumbles, but he had 5.5 quarterback sack
s and recovered one opponent fumble.
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...
player who played defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
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...
for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. Prior to that he played defensive tackle for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams from 1982
1982 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Paul "Bear" Bryant retire as head coach at Alabama with 323 career victories in 38 seasons.The Penn State Nittany Lions won their first consensus national championship, closing out an 11-1 season by defeating Georgia and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel...
-1985
1985 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners, led by head coach Barry Switzer, win the national championship.Oklahoma finished the season 11-1, with their only loss to Miami at home, in a game future NFL star Troy Aikman was lost for the season...
.
College
Raised in Wapakoneta, OhioWapakoneta, Ohio
Wapakoneta is a city in and the county seat of Auglaize County, Ohio, United States with a population of 9,474 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan S A, which is included in the Lima-Van Wert-Wapakoneta, Ohio CSA...
, Hammerstein joined the Wolverines as an offensive lineman in the 1981
1981 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Clemson Tigers, unbeaten and untied, taking the national championship after a victory over traditional power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This was also the first year of the California Bowl, played in Fresno, California; this game fancied...
season and played sparingly. He then redshirted and played four years (1982–1985) as a defensive tackle. He wore #66 for his whole Michigan career, while his brother Mark wore #78 as an offensive lineman from (1982-1986
1986 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Penn State winning the national championship. Coached by Joe Paterno, they defeated Miami 14–10 in the Fiesta Bowl. This Fiesta Bowl was the first in the game's history to decide the national championship, launching it into the top tier of...
). During his career, he tied a single season record for tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
for losses with 23 while setting the record for yardage lost, sacking
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
opponents for 112 yards lost in 1985. Hammerstein was also named the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the 1985 Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
(a 27-23 win over Nebraska). In the game he had two important quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s. He was named first team All-American by the AP, UPI, and Kodak.
In 1985, Hammerstein was paired on the defensive line with Mark Messner
Mark Messner
Mark W. Messner is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker.Messner played college football at Michigan from 1985 to 1988. The lineman from Hartland, Michigan was the Wolverines' sack leader in 1985-1987. The 1985 defense has been described as the best defense in the history...
. Led by the strong defense of Hammerstein and Messner, the 1985 team went 10-1-1 and finished the year ranked #2 in the nation. In 1985, Hammerstein had 19 tackles for losses (#4 all-time best season at Michigan) for -101 yards (tied for #5). The defense was among the nation's leaders in scoring defense as it yielded only 8.1 pts. per game in 1985. The defense has been described as the best defense in the history of Michigan football.
Hammerstein finished his career as the third highest in Michigan football history in career tackles for losses with 37 for 116 yards.
Professional career
In the 1986 NFL Draft1986 NFL Draft
The 1986 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 29–30, 1986...
where the Cincinnati Bengals had eight selections in the first four rounds, Hammerstein was the Bengals second of three third round choices and the 65th overall when taken with the tenth pick in the third round. Hammestein played defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
-1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
under Sam Wyche
Sam Wyche
Samuel David "Sam" Wyche is a former American football player and head coach, who is best known as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL...
. Oddly, the 1986 Bengals team went 10-6, but the only playoff team Mike played on was the 1990 team that went 9-7 and advanced to the second round of the 1990 NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1990-91
The NFL playoffs following the 1990 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXV.The league expanded its playoff system from a 10-team to a 12-team tournament...
. The 1990 team only had one 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...
er on defense (defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
David Fulcher
David Fulcher
David Dwayne Fulcher is a former American Football safety who played for the Cincinnati Bengals , and the Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
), but with Pro Bowlers James Brooks, Rodney Holman
Rodney Holman
Rodney Holman is a former professional American football player who played tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals , and the Detroit Lions . Holman graduated from Ypsilanti High School in 1978 where he starred on the football team and was an all-state wrestler...
and Anthony Munoz
Anthony Muñoz
Michael Anthony Muñoz , is a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle who played most of his career for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals...
on offense they were able to cause some trouble in the playoffs. Hammerstein was part of the solid supporting cast. In the NFL, Hammerstein had no interceptions or forced fumbles, but he had 5.5 quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s and recovered one opponent fumble.