Michael Henry Lewis (July 14, 1949 – September 6, 2024) was an American professioanl football player who was a defensive lineman for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers.[1][2][3] He played college football for the Arkansas AM&N Golden Lions.
 Lewis in 1972 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 69, 66 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | July 14, 1949 Houston, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died: | September 6, 2024 (aged 75) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 261 lb (118 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Yates (Houston) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Arkansas AM&N | ||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1971 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Biography
editMike Lewis was born July 14, 1949, in Houston, Texas. He attended Jack Yates High School in Houston.
Lewis attended Wiley College, private historically black college in Marshall, Texas, playing football there until the school dropped the sport in 1968.[4] He then transferred to Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he completed his college career in 1970.[4]
Lewis initially joined the Falcons at their training camp ahead of the 1971 season as a linebacker, but was moved to defensive end as the team already had seven veteran linebackers in camp and there was little chance of cracking the roster at that position.[4] His position switch helped him to make the club's 40-man roster.[4] He saw action in nine games for Atlanta during his rookie year, playing on special teams.[4]
Lewis was shifted to the interior of the defensive line in 1972 and became a starter at right defensive tackle.[5] He started every game for Atlanta at that position through the 1975 season.[5]
Lewis died in Atlanta on September 6, 2024, at the age of 75.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Falcons all-time team has a high-powered offense and balanced defense". InsidetheHashes.com. July 27, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ Emerson, Seth; Butt, Jason (April 6, 2020). "Atlanta sports 'By the Numbers': The 60s". TheAthletic.com. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "Mike Lewis Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Tom Bennett, 1972 Atlanta Falcons (media guide). Atlanta, GA: Atlanta Falcons Football Club, 1972; p. 29.
- ^ a b "Mike Lewis," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com/
- ^ Michael Henry Lewis, Sr., Atlanta Falcons' defensive icon, dies at 75
