Mike Karney
Encyclopedia
Michael John Mario Karney (born July 6, 1981 in San Jose, California
) is an American football
fullback
who is currently a free agent
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Arizona State
.
in Covington, Washington
and garnered varsity letters in football
and baseball
. In football, he was a USA Today
All-USA Honorable Mention selection, a PrepStar All-Region honoree, named the No. 15 player in the Northwest. Karney rushed for 800 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior as his team went to the Class 4A state title game, its first appearance in 10 years.
and had 78 yards on 32 carries and 37 receptions for 308 yards and a touchdown. Karney is said to have trained in college by strapping his car to his back and attempt to pull it around. As a senior, he recorded 14 catches for 106 yards and in 2002, opened 11 of 14 games, posting 20 rushing yards on eight carries and hauling in 13 passes for 121 yards. All Pac-10 honorable mention in 2001, opening seven games and playing in every contest. That season had six carries for 18 yards and caught six passes for 39 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown vs. San Diego State.
by the New Orleans Saints
. Karney was signed to three-year $1.3 million contract on July 29, 2004, and proved to be a solid lead blocker and average receiver out of the backfield. The Saints gave up two picks to draft Karney. In his first two seasons he started 22 of 32 games. He was re-signed to a contract extension prior to the 2006 season (July 13, 2006). The extension was for a reported four-years and $5.6 million including incentives, and included a $1.2 million signing bonus. On December 10, 2006, against the Dallas Cowboys
on Sunday Night Football
, Karney had his best NFL game, scoring two receiving and one rushing touchdowns, his first three touchdowns in the NFL. After the 2006 season Karney was voted Second-team All-pro
and was voted a Pro Bowl alternate. In 2007 he repeated his honor of being an alternate to the Pro Bowl.
He was released by the Saints on March 5, 2009, the night of the rehearsal dinner
for his wedding.
on March 11, 2009. The deal includes $1.7 million guaranteed. Karney was needed because, according to ESPN
's John Clayton
, "The Rams have been struggling at that position since they released Madison Hedgecock
early in 2007." Hedgecock ended up starting for the New York Giants
in Super Bowl XLII
and was Second-team All-Pro
and Pro Bowl
alternate in 2008. On the day of the Karney signing, Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo
said, "Mike has proven to be a solid fullback since entering the league in 2004. We are excited that he is now a Ram and we looking forward to him being an effective part of our offense in the future." Steven Jackson
echoed that saying, "I've seen the holes that he's opened up…I'm looking forward to working with him."
On February 8, 2011, the Rams released Karney.
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
) is an American football
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
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
who is currently 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....
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 was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 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 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. 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 Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
.
Early years
Karney attended Kentwood High SchoolKentwood High School (Washington)
Kentwood High School is a high school in Covington, Washington. Kentwood is one of four high schools in the Kent School District. It serves students in grades nine through twelve who live in mainly in the east central region of the district...
in Covington, Washington
Covington, Washington
Covington is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 17,575 at the time of the 2010 census. Prior to the 2010 census, Covington was counted as part of Covington-Sawyer-Wilderness CDP.-History:...
and garnered varsity letters 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....
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In football, he was a USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
All-USA Honorable Mention selection, a PrepStar All-Region honoree, named the No. 15 player in the Northwest. Karney rushed for 800 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior as his team went to the Class 4A state title game, its first appearance in 10 years.
College career
Started 28 of 46 games at Arizona StateArizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and had 78 yards on 32 carries and 37 receptions for 308 yards and a touchdown. Karney is said to have trained in college by strapping his car to his back and attempt to pull it around. As a senior, he recorded 14 catches for 106 yards and in 2002, opened 11 of 14 games, posting 20 rushing yards on eight carries and hauling in 13 passes for 121 yards. All Pac-10 honorable mention in 2001, opening seven games and playing in every contest. That season had six carries for 18 yards and caught six passes for 39 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown vs. San Diego State.
Pre-draft
Karney was rated as one of the top fullbacks coming out of college.New Orleans Saints
Karney was drafted in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 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 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. Karney was signed to three-year $1.3 million contract on July 29, 2004, and proved to be a solid lead blocker and average receiver out of the backfield. The Saints gave up two picks to draft Karney. In his first two seasons he started 22 of 32 games. He was re-signed to a contract extension prior to the 2006 season (July 13, 2006). The extension was for a reported four-years and $5.6 million including incentives, and included a $1.2 million signing bonus. On December 10, 2006, against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
, Karney had his best NFL game, scoring two receiving and one rushing touchdowns, his first three touchdowns in the NFL. After the 2006 season Karney was voted Second-team All-pro
2006 All-Pro Team
-Offense: -Defense:-Special teams:-Key:*AP = Associated Press All-Pro team*AP-2 = Associated Press Second-team All-Pro*PFWA = Pro Football Writers Association/Pro Football Weekly All-Pro team*TSN = The Sporting News All-Pro Team-References:**...
and was voted a Pro Bowl alternate. In 2007 he repeated his honor of being an alternate to the Pro Bowl.
He was released by the Saints on March 5, 2009, the night of the rehearsal dinner
Rehearsal dinner
A rehearsal dinner is a pre-wedding ceremony in North American tradition, usually held after the wedding rehearsal and the night before the wedding ceremony....
for his wedding.
St. Louis Rams
Karney signed a three-year, $4.9 million contract with the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on March 11, 2009. The deal includes $1.7 million guaranteed. Karney was needed because, according to ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's John Clayton
John Clayton (sportscaster)
John Travis Clayton is a National Football League writer and reporter for ESPN. He is also a senior writer for ESPN.com.-Early career:...
, "The Rams have been struggling at that position since they released Madison Hedgecock
Madison Hedgecock
Madison Smith Hedgecock is a former American football fullback. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina....
early in 2007." Hedgecock ended up starting for 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...
in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
and was Second-team All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and 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...
alternate in 2008. On the day of the Karney signing, Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo
Steve Spagnuolo
Steven Christopher Spagnuolo is the current head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was previously the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from January 2007 to January 2009, and also served for eight years under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early years:Born...
said, "Mike has proven to be a solid fullback since entering the league in 2004. We are excited that he is now a Ram and we looking forward to him being an effective part of our offense in the future." Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson
Steven Rashad Jackson is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Rams 24th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State University....
echoed that saying, "I've seen the holes that he's opened up…I'm looking forward to working with him."
On February 8, 2011, the Rams released Karney.