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Michael Turner
File:Michael Turner 2013 Playoffs.jpg
Turner playing for the Falcons in 2013
No. --     Free agent
Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1982-02-13) February 13, 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth: Waukegan, Illinois
High School: North Chicago (IL)
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Weight: 247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
College: Northern Illinois
NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 5 / Pick: 154
Debuted in 2004 for the San Diego Chargers
Career history
* San Diego Chargers ( 2004 2007)
Career highlights and awards
* 2× Pro Bowl (2008, 2010)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2012
Rushing yards     7,338
Rushing average     4.5
Rushing TDs     66
Stats at NFL.com

Michael Turner (born February 13, 1982) is an American football running back who last played for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Northern Illinois University. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He is currently a free agent.

College Career[]

He attended Northern Illinois University. As a junior, he finished second in the nation with 1,915 yards, including five 200+ yd games and two 5 TD games. In 2003, he finished second in the NCAA in rushing, behind his future NFL teammate Darren Sproles, with 1,148 yards. He left NIU with the school records for rushing yards (1,941), touchdowns (13) and all-purpose yards (1,038). Since his departure from NIU, two records (rushing yards and touchdowns) have been broken by Garrett Wolfe.

Professional Career[]

Pre-draft[]

Pre-draft measureables
Ht Wt 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BPWonderlic
 ft  in 237 lb 4.37 s 4.02 s 7.50 s 31 in 22 reps35

San Diego Chargers[]

Turner was drafted by the Chargers in the fifth round (154th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Turner played mostly on special teams, but started and ran for 87 yards in the regular-season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Turner had again spent most of 2005 on the bench as backup to Pro Bowl starter LaDainian Tomlinson. But in the December 18 game against the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, Turner came off the bench to run for 113 yards, including a game-clinching 83-yard touchdown.

During the 2007 off season, Chargers General manager A.J. Smith stated that the Chargers would be willing to trade Turner in exchange for both a first and third round draft pick.[1] However, a day after 2007 NFL Draft concluded, A.J. Smith stated that Michael Turner would remain a Charger for the 2007 season. He would no longer be accepting trade offers from other NFL teams for Turner.[2]

On April 26, 2007, Turner signed the $2.35 million, one-year tender he received from the Chargers after becoming a restricted free agent.

On January 13, 2008, Turner gained attention when he filled in ably for the Chargers' injured starter Tomlinson early in an AFC Divisional playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts, gaining 71 yards on 17 carries, including several key runs.

Atlanta Falcons[]

File:Michael Turner rushes at Atlanta at Oakland 11-2-08 1.JPG

Turner (right) during a game against the Oakland Raiders.

On March 2, 2008, the Atlanta Falcons signed Turner to a six-year, $34.5 million contract with $15 million guaranteed.[3] He was represented by agent James "Bus" Cook.[4]

In his Falcon debut, Turner broke the Atlanta Falcons single game rushing record against the Detroit Lions on September 7, 2008, rushing for 220 yards on 22 carries with 2 touchdowns.[5] His 220 yards against the Lions marked the third-highest opening day rushing total behind O.J. Simpson’s 250 yards in 1973 and Arian Foster's 231 yards in 2010 and his rushing total is also the most in NFL annals by a player in his first game with a new team and surpassed the previous mark of 202 yards setting by running back Gerald Riggs on September 2, 1984. Coincidentally, Turner became the first Falcons offensive player of the week following an NFL season opening weekend since Riggs earned the honor after setting his record in 1984. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the week for this performance. On November 23, 2008, he set a personal record with 4 rushing TDs in a victory over the Carolina Panthers. He compiled 117 yards rushing during that same game.[6] His seventeen rushing touchdowns during the 2008 season broke the Atlanta Falcons' single season record of 14 set by Jamal Anderson in 1998, it is also the second-most in NFL history for a first season with a team behind only Eric Dickerson (18).[7] He finished the year with 1,699 yards (a 4.5 ypc avg) and 17 rushing touchdowns. He is the first Atlanta Falcon in history to start and finish a season with 200 yard rushing performances (220 against Detroit week 1 and 208 against St. Louis week 17).

On December 16, 2008, Turner was named to the 2009 Pro Bowl, along with fellow Falcon WR Roddy White.

Turner and teammates Roddy White, Eric Weems, Ovie Mughelli, Brent Grimes, Tony Gonzalez, John Abraham, Tyson Clabo and Matt Ryan were voted to the 2011 Pro Bowl.

On January 1, 2012, Turner broke Gerald Riggs' franchise rushing touchdown record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Turner rushed for 2 touchdowns, bringing his total rushing touchdowns as a Falcon to 50.

On March 1, 2013, Turner was released by the Falcons.[8]

Falcons franchise records[]

  • Most career rushing touchdowns (60)
  • Most rushing touchdowns in a season: 17 (2008)
File:Michael Turner Atlanta Falcons.jpg

Turner during the 2011 Season

Statistics[]

Season Team Games Rushing Receiving Fumbles
GP GS Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD FUM Lost
2004 San Diego Chargers 14 1 20 104 5.2 30 0 4 8 2.0 7 0 1 1
2005 San Diego Chargers 16 0 57 335 5.9 83T 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2006 San Diego Chargers 13 0 80 502 6.3 73 2 3 47 15.7 30 0 0 0
2007 San Diego Chargers 16 0 71 316 4.5 74T 1 4 16 4.0 12 0 1 1
2008 Atlanta Falcons 16 16 376 1,699 4.5 70 17 6 41 6.8 18 0 3 2
2009 Atlanta Falcons 11 11 178 871 4.9 58T 10 5 35 7.0 10 0 4 2
2010 Atlanta Falcons 16 15 334 1,371 4.1 55 12 12 85 7.1 19 0 2 2
2011 Atlanta Falcons 16 15 301 1,340 4.5 81T 11 17 168 9.9 32 0 3 2
2012 Atlanta Falcons 16 16 222 800 3.6 43 10 19 128 6.7 60T 1 3 1
Total 134 74 1,639 7,338 4.5 83 66 70 528 7.5 60 1 17 11

Personal Life[]

On September 18, 2012, Turner was arrested and charged with DUI and speeding, only a few hours after the Denver Broncos vs. Atlanta Falcons game on September 17, 2012.[9]

References[]

External links[]

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