Micheal Curtis Spurlock (born January 31, 1983) is an

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

coach and former

wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...

. He is the

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

s coach for the

University of Southern Mississippi The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bac ...

, a position he has held since 2024. He was signed by the

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...

as an

undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...

in 2006. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

Ole Miss OLE, Ole or Olé may refer to: * Olé, a cheering expression used in Spain * Ole (name), a male given name, includes a list of people named Ole * Overhead lines equipment, used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains Co ...

. Spurlock has also played for the

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

, and

Florida Tuskers Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Early life

At Gentry High School in

Indianola, Mississippi Indianola is a city in and the county seat of Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States, in the Mississippi Delta. The population was 10,683 at the 2010 census. History On June 30, 1874 the town was surveyed and on April 14, 1885 an addition ...

, he passed for Class 5A state records of 3,348 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2000, also rushed for another 1,161 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, giving him 4,509 total yards and 45 touchdowns during senior campaign. He also currently holds the Mississippi High School State record for passing yards in a single game (581) and touchdowns in a single game (9). He earned three

letters Letter, letters, or literature may refer to: Characters typeface * Letter (alphabet), a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech or none in the case of a silent letter; any of the symbols of an alphabet * Letterform, the g ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

, four in

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

and three in

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

, playing as a

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

in baseball, was three-time selection as team's

Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particular competition, or ...

and Best Defensive Player. He was also the starting guard in basketball.

College career

While at Ole Miss, he played in all 11 games,

starting Start can refer to multiple topics: * Takeoff, the phase of flight where an aircraft transitions from moving along the ground to flying through the air * Starting lineup in sports * Starts use in sport race * Standing start, and rolling start, i ...

eight, seven at

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

, and the season finale at

, as a senior in 2005. As quarterback, he passed for 1,709 yards on 142-of-267 completions with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions and rushed for two touchdowns. He appeared in seven-of-11 games in 2004 as a junior, connected on 30-of-70 passes for 341 yards, and rushed 27 times for 59 yards. He only played in two of 13 games as a sophomore in 2003 as he was behind

Eli Manning Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...

on the

depth chart In sports, a depth chart, primarily in the United States, is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below. Depth chart ...

and he completed seven-of-eight passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. His only action of 2002 as a

redshirt freshman Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...

came against the Arkansas State Indians. He redshirted in 2001.

Professional career

Arizona Cardinals

Spurlock signed with the Cardinals as an

rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

. Spurlock spent most of the year on the

practice squad In gridiron football, the practice squad, also called the taxi squad or practice roster, is a group of players signed by a team but not part of their main roster. They serve as extra players during the team's practices, often as part of the scou ...

but was promoted to the roster on December 29, 2006, and in his first NFL game against the

tied for the team lead with four receptions.

First stint with Buccaneers

On December 16, 2007, Spurlock became the first player in

franchise history to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a regular season game, taking a kick back 90 yards for a score in a game against the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...

. At the time, Tampa Bay had not returned a kickoff for a touchdown in their entire 32-year history when this was accomplished; it was the 1,865th kickoff the Buccaneers had ever received. He was cut by the team on August 31, 2008, but was quickly re-signed to their practice squad.

San Francisco 49ers

On January 21, 2009, Spurlock was signed to a future contract by the

. After the 2009 preseason, Spurlock was officially signed to the team, due to first round draft pick

Michael Crabtree Michael Alex Crabtree Jr. (born September 14, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, twi ...

holding out. He was waived by the team on November 3.

Second stint with Buccaneers

Spurlock re-signed with the Buccaneers on December 22, 2009. In his first game back with the Bucs, he returned a punt for a touchdown, leading to a 20–17 victory for Tampa Bay over the 13–1 New Orleans Saints. On November 7, 2010, against the Atlanta Falcons, Spurlock returned a squib kick for a touchdown. It was the second kickoff return for a touchdown in his career.

San Diego Chargers

The

signed Spurlock on April 4, 2012. Spurlock returned a 99-yard kick off return for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. The

released Spurlock on October 3, 2012.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The

signed Spurlock on October 5, 2012.

Second stint with Chargers

Spurlock was claimed off waivers on November 28, 2012, after the Jaguars released him to make room for Jason Babin.

Detroit Lions

Spurlock signed with the

on June 4, 2013.

Dallas Cowboys

Spurlock signed with the

on December 18, 2013. While playing against the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...

in his first game with the Cowboys, Spurlock returned a punt for 62 yards to set up the team's first touchdown. In order to make room for quarterback

Jon Kitna Jon Kelly Kitna (born September 21, 1972) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Dallas Cowboys. He played colleg ...

, the Cowboys released Spurlock on December 25, 2013. He was re-signed by the Lions later that day.

Chicago Bears

Spurlock signed with the

on June 3, 2014. He was waived by the Bears on September 9.

References

External links

Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spurlock, Micheal 1983 births Living people People from Indianola, Mississippi Players of American football from Mississippi American football quarterbacks American football running backs American football wide receivers American football return specialists Ole Miss Rebels football players Arizona Cardinals players Tampa Bay Buccaneers players San Francisco 49ers players Florida Tuskers players San Diego Chargers players Jacksonville Jaguars players Detroit Lions players Dallas Cowboys players Chicago Bears players Green Bay Packers coaches