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Mike Furrey

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Mike Furrey
refer to caption
Furrey with the St. Louis Rams in 2003
South Carolina Gamecocks
Position:Wide receivers coach
Personal information
Born: (1977-03-12) March 12, 1977 (age 47)
Galion, Ohio, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:192 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school:Hilliard Davidson
(Hilliard, Ohio)
College:Ohio State (1995),
Northern Iowa (1996–1999)
Undrafted:2000
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:221
Receiving yards:2,298
Receiving touchdowns:7
Stats at Pro Football Reference
Head coaching record
Regular season:33–32 (.508)
Postseason:0–2 (.000)
Career:33–34 (.493)
Stats at ArenaFan.com

Michael Thomas Furrey (/ˈfɜːri/; born May 12, 1977) is an American college football coach and former professional wide receiver and safety. He is the wide receivers coach for the University of South Carolina, a position he has held since 2024.[1] He was the head football coach for Limestone University from 2016 to 2017 and from 2022 to 2023. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) as an undrafted free agent following the 2000 NFL draft. He played college football at Northern Iowa and Ohio State University.

Furrey was also a member of the New York Dragons, Las Vegas Outlaws, St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Washington Redskins.

Early life

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Furrey attended Hilliard Davidson High School in Hilliard, Ohio, and was a letter-winner in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, as a senior, he was a first-team All-District honoree a first-team All-Conference honoree, and a first-team All-Ohio honoree.

College career

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After high school, Furrey enrolled at Ohio State University in 1995, where he played in nine games as a freshman walk-on. In 1996, he transferred to Division I-AA Northern Iowa. In his three years at UNI, Furrey set new Gateway Football Conference receiving records with career totals of 242 receptions for 3,544 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight
5 ft 11+3⁄4 in
(1.82 m) 		180 lb
(82 kg)
Values from Pro Day[2]

Indianapolis Colts

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He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent for the Indianapolis Colts in 2000 but was waived at the end of training camp.

Las Vegas Outlaws

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He went on to play in the XFL for the Las Vegas Outlaws. He finished the season with 18 receptions for 243 yards and one touchdown.

New York Dragons

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Furrey played for the New York Dragons in 2002 and 2003 as a wide receiver/defensive back. He was leading the Arena Football League in receptions (108), receiving yards (1,574), receiving touchdowns (46, tying an AFL record for touchdowns in a single season), and points (288) when he left the Dragons on April 29, 2003, to sign with the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League.

St. Louis Rams

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Furrey made the 2003 Rams roster and played in 13 games, serving as wide receiver and special teams ace. He played in eight games and two playoff contests in 2004. Due to a lack of depth in the Rams' secondary before the 2005 season, Furrey converted to free safety based on his experience in the AFL, where players play both offense and defense. He became the starter in Week 5. He was successful in the transition, as he had one game-winning interception 67-yard return for a touchdown, and the next week a game-clinching interception in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. At the end of the 2005 season, Furrey was released.

Detroit Lions

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The Detroit Lions signed Furrey to a one-year deal on April 4, 2006, as a wide receiver, being one of the few active players in the NFL to have started on both offense and defense. He emerged as a solid option in the Lions offense, catching 98 passes for 1,086 yards and six touchdowns. His 98 receptions for that season were the most for any player in the conference, and second best in the league.

On December 31, 2006, Furrey set the pro football record for most catches for a non-rookie after a season with no catches the previous season. He had 98 receptions at the end of the 2006 season (which was the most in the NFC for that year), after none in 2005. The previous record was 92 catches, set in 1960 by Lionel Taylor, playing for Denver in the AFL.[3]

Furrey was the 2006 recipient of the Detroit Lions/Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association/Pro Football Writers Association's Media-Friendly "Good Guy" Award. The Good Guy Award is given yearly to the Detroit Lions player who shows consideration to, and cooperation with the media at all times during the course of the season.

After the 2006 season, Furrey was re-signed by the Lions to a three-year contract due to his breakout year. In the 2007 NFL draft the Lions selected wide receiver Calvin Johnson in the first round (2nd overall), making Furrey number three on the depth chart. Furrey recorded 61 catches for 664 yards in 2007. He was re-signed as an unrestricted free agent on January 24, 2007.[4] Furrey was released by the Lions on February 9, 2009.

Cleveland Browns

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Furrey was signed by the Cleveland Browns on May 5, 2009.[5] Furrey started the year at wide receiver for the Browns, but was moved to free safety and nickelback due to the lack of depth in Cleveland's injury-depleted secondary.[6] In 2010, he was one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which Brian Waters ultimately won. He was also the Browns' 2009 Ed Block Courage Award Recipient.

Washington Redskins

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Furrey was signed by the Washington Redskins on June 9, 2010.

NFL career statistics

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Legend
Bold Career high

Regular season

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Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Tgt Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2003 STL 13 0 33 20 189 9.5 24 0
2004 STL 8 0 3 1 8 8.0 8 0
2005 STL 16 11 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
2006 DET 16 14 146 98 1,086 11.1 31 6
2007 DET 16 10 91 61 664 10.9 49 1
2008 DET 9 2 35 18 181 10.1 25 0
2009 CLE 16 4 39 23 170 7.4 22 0
94 41 347 221 2,298 10.4 49 7

Playoffs

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Year Team Games Receiving
GP GS Tgt Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
2003 STL 1 0 5 4 30 7.5 10 0
2004 STL 2 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
3 0 5 4 30 7.5 10 0

After football

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In August 2011 it was announced Furrey was one of a number of former NFL players suing the NFL over concussions and related symptoms.[7][8]

Coaching career

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On December 10, 2010, Furrey was introduced as the head football coach at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. KCU plays in the Mid-South Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). On February 20, 2013, Furrey resigned his position as KCU head coach to become wide receivers coach at Marshall University.[9] On May 10, 2016, it was reported that Furrey would be leaving Marshall University to become the head coach at Limestone College.[10] On May 12, 2016, Furrey was introduced at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina at a press conference.[11] He became the second head coach for football for the Limestone Saints, compiling a 9–12 record in two seasons with the team.[12]

Furrey joined the Chicago Bears as their wide receivers coach on January 12, 2018, reuniting with New York Dragons teammate and new Bears head coach Matt Nagy.[12] Following Nagy's firing after the 2021 season, Furrey was not retained by the team.

On February 29, 2024, Furrey was named the wide receivers coach at the University of South Carolina.[13]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Kentucky Christian Knights (Mid-South Conference) (2011–2012)
2011 Kentucky Christian 4–7 2–3 4th (East)
2012 Kentucky Christian 4–7 1–4 T–4th (East)
Kentucky Christian: 8–14 3–7
Limestone Saints (NCAA Division II independent) (2016)
2016 Limestone 5–6
Limestone Saints (South Atlantic Conference) (2017)
2017 Limestone 4–6 3–4 T–4th
Limestone Saints (South Atlantic Conference) (2022–2023)
2022 Limestone 8–4 7–2 T–1st (Piedmont) L NCAA Division II First Round
2023 Limestone 8–4 8–1 T–1st (Piedmont) L NCAA Division II First Round
Limestone: 25–20 18–7
Total: 33–34
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Mike Furrey Named Gamecocks' Wide Receivers Coach". University of South Carolina Athletics. February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "Mike Furrey College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  3. ^ "Lions WR Furrey goes from 0 catches to 93". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 31, 2006. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  4. ^ "Lions agree to terms with free agent wide receiver Mike Furrey". USA Today. January 24, 2007. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  5. ^ "Browns sign ex-Lion receiver Mike Furrey". Cleveland Plain Dealer. May 5, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  6. ^ "Detroit Free Press Lions blog Section".
  7. ^ Borden, Sam (August 20, 2011). "Concussion Suit Seeks Better Health Monitoring". New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  8. ^ "Players accuse NFL of negligence". Associated Press. August 19, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  9. ^ "Marshall football: Mike Furrey reportedly joining Herd staff". Charleston Daily Mail. February 20, 2013. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  10. ^ "WR coach Mike Furrey leaving Herd". Huntington Herald-Dispatch. May 10, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  11. ^ "Former NFL player is new Limestone football coach". Gaffney Ledger. May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Limestone football coach Mike Furrey steps down". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. January 12, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  13. ^ "Mike Furrey". February 29, 2024.
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