Randy McMichael

Randy Montez McMichael (born June 28, 1979) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL).

McMichael's four touchdown catches were the third-highest figure by a Dolphins rookie at any position, and the most by a tight end, surpassing Ferrell Edmunds, who had three in 1988.

McMichael had a reception in 15 of 16 games.

Of his 39 catches, five went for 25 yards or longer – third-most on the team, trailing only James McKnight (9) and Chris Chambers (7).

His eight receptions tied a team record for a tight end at the time, achieved three times previously, most recently by Keith Jackson who did it in a Divisional Playoff game on January 8, 1995 at the San Diego Chargers.

For the third straight year, McMichael started all 16 games.

He missed all but one game in 1997 with a thumb injury, and missed all of 1998 with a knee injury.

No Dolphins tight end had produced as many stats as McMichael had since Troy Drayton in 1997 (39 receptions, 558 yards, 4 touchdowns).

McMichael was a three-year letterman at Georgia from 1999 to 2001.

In 1999, he caught 34 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns, earning First-team Freshman All-American honors from The Sporting News and SEC coaches.

As a sophomore in 2000, McMichael hauled in 32 passes for 475 yards and a score, earning an honorable mention All-conference selection.

He was a First-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and SEC coaches in his final year of 2001 when he started nine of the ten games in which he appeared and had 24 receptions for 281 yards and a touchdown.

McMichael started 21 of the 33 games in which he played during his career and caught 90 passes for 1,213 yards and five touchdowns.

He finished ranked ninth in school history for career receiving yards.

He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

He played college football at Georgia.

McMichael was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitutions Top 50 in the state of Georgia at Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia.

He was voted the team’s best offensive lineman as a senior, and also lettered in basketball and track during his prep career.

McMichael was selected in the fourth round (114th overall) in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.

The pick used by Dolphins to select him was originally acquired from the New Orleans Saints in the deal that sent running back Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins.

McMichael made his NFL debut in a starting role against the Detroit Lions on September 8, when he tied for team-lead with four receptions and led the team with 73 yards.

He also scored his first NFL touchdown in the game, hauling in a Jay Fiedler pass from 16 yards out in the second quarter.

He started all 16 games in his rookie season, catching 39 passes for 485 yards and four touchdowns.

His four receiving scores led the team, while his reception and yardage figures both were third.

He became the first Dolphins rookie tight end ever to start every regular season contest.

Although he was the eighth tight end taken in the 2002 NFL Draft, McMichael’s receiving totals ranked second among all NFL rookie tight ends in 2002, trailing only the New York Giants’ Jeremy Shockey – the 14th overall pick in the draft.

McMichael’s touchdown total was also the most of any rookie tight end in the league in 2002.

McMichael emerged as one of the top receiving tight ends in the league in his second NFL season, starting all 16 games and finishing with 49 receptions for 598 yards and two touchdowns.

He added another touchdown on a fumble recovery.

McMichael ranked third on the team in receptions and second in receiving yards.

He led or shared the team-lead in receiving four times during the course of the season, while topping the team in receiving yards on five occasions.

Of his 49 receptions, five went for 25 yards or longer (second-most on the team) trailing only Chris Chambers (8).

He had a reception in all but one game.

He ranked fourth among AFC tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards.

McMichael had his most productive game of the season and one of the top receiving days ever by a Dolphins tight end against the New England Patriots on October 19, when he caught eight passes for 102 yards.

He was one of only two Dolphins offensive players to open every game in 2004, with offensive lineman Seth McKinney being the other.

McMichael put together the most prolific receiving season of any tight end in Dolphins history, leading the team with 73 receptions while his 791 receiving yards ranked second, trailing only Chris Chambers, who registered 898 yards.

He also scored four touchdowns on the season and had a two-point conversion to his credit.

He had five receptions for 25 yards or longer on the season, tied with Marty Booker for second on the squad, trailing only Chambers, who had six.

Overall, McMichael led the Dolphins in receptions eight times and in receiving yards on seven occasions over the course of the season.