Mike Sullivan (offensive lineman)

Michael Gerard Sullivan (born December 22, 1967) is a former American football offensive lineman and current assistant offensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He played in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at the University of Miami.

Mike Sullivan
Tennessee Titans
Position:Assistant offensive line coach
Personal information
Born: (1967-12-22) December 22, 1967
Chicago, Illinois
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:292 lb (132 kg)
Career information
High school:St. Francis DeSales (IL)
College:Miami (FL)
NFL Draft:1991 / Round: 6 / Pick: 153
Career history
As player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× National champion (1987, 1989)
  • 2× All-South Independent (1989, 1990)
  • 2× Honorable-Mention All-American (1989, 1990)
  • 2× CBS/Toyota Leadership Award (1990, 1991)
  • Miami Hurricanes Sports Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Games played:48
Games started:4
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Early years

Sullivan attended St. Francis DeSales High School, where he was a three-year starter and was named All-Midwest as a senior. He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Miami where he was redshirted as a freshman. He played his first 2 years at left offensive guard, before being switched to left tackle as a junior.

He started a school record 48 consecutive games (all of the games in his college career), despite dealing with different injuries, including the removal of a benign tumor near his left ear in 1989.

Sullivan contributed to a 44-4 record, 2 National Championships (1987, 1989), and the first 36 contests of the 58-game NCAA record home winning streak. One of two players in school history to earn an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship (only 15 are awarded per year) and the only two-time winner of the CBS/Toyota Leadership Award.

In 2009, he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.[1]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Sullivan was selected in the sixth round (153rd overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1991 NFL Draft, with the intention of playing him at offensive guard. He originally failed his physical but was later approved to participate in training camp.[2]

He was waived on August 26 and later re-signed to the practice squad.[3] After being signed to the active roster, he was released on November 22 and re-signed to the practice squad.[4]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 1992, he signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played four years mainly as a back-up offensive lineman and on special teams.

Chicago Bears

On March 26, 1996, he was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Bears.[5] He was released before the season started.

Coaching career

Sullivan coached at Western Michigan University, Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers. He is currently coaching at the Tennessee Titans. He also helped four teams to Championships over the span of his coaching career in the European Federation of American Football.

References
  1. "University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  2. "Sullivan fails physical". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  3. "Transactions". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  4. "Transactions". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  5. "Tampa Bay lineman corralled by Chicago". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
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