It is not a strange thing to see professional athletes jump from the field to the television and big screens. Which is what Michael Strahan did. The former football player made his "Live" debut in 2009 and later went on the show full-time in 2012 alongside host Kelly Ripa.
Now, news broke out that the NFL professional is steering his broadcasting sights towards ABC's "Good Morning America" and saying good-bye to "Live With Kelly and Michael". He will be anchoring beside George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and Lara Spencer.
James Goldston, Division President of ABC News, expresses his gratitude towards Strahan, "Michael has been a stellar addition to the broadcast." According to LA Times, Bill Carroll, Senior VP at Katz Television Group will miss Strahan, "Michael Strahan brought an energy and new audience to the show, He will be hard to replace with no natural successor."
But how did a football pro transition to the world of television broadcasting? The former defensive end for the New York Giants had caught the attention of the NFL scouts in 1993. His Biography detailed that the next decade for the 6'5' NY Giant started from a full-time starter to a double-digit quarterback sack. Eventually, he was thinking of retirement. In 2007, the veteran ended his football career on a high note. His transition to television came from FOX enlisting him as a football analyst for their Sports segments. He also did several TV stunts with Subway's commercials and the FOX sitcom "Brothers." In 2012, he was brought on to fill Regis Philbin's spot and co-host "Live! With Kelly."
Many believed he always had a future in television. For pro-athletes like Strahan, retiring the frontline and field was a good idea and starting a career in television was a great one. There's always life after football.
