Mike Lucky
Michael Thomas Lucky (born November 23, 1975) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Arizona.
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| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||||
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| Born: | November 23, 1975 Antioch, California | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 280 lb (127 kg) | ||||||||||
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| High school: | Antioch (CA) | ||||||||||
| College: | Arizona | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1999 / Round: 7 / Pick: 229 | ||||||||||
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Early years
Lucky was born in Antioch, California where he played in Antioch Youth Football. He graduated from Antioch High School, where he served as team captain and recorded 36 receptions for 650 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning All-Northern California and All-state honors as a senior. He left high school rated as the 15th best tight end in the country by SuperPrep magazine.
In 2014, he was inducted into the Antioch Sports Hall of Fame.[1]
College career
Lucky accepted a football scholarship from the University of Arizona, where he became a three-year starter for the Wildcats, starting 35 of his final 36 games. As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in 11 games, starting the last 2, while making 5 receptions for 99 yards.
He was named the regular starter at tight end as a sophomore, posting 14 receptions for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns. The next year, he finished fourth on the team with 13 receptions for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns, helping the team win the Insight.com Bowl.
As a senior, he was fourth on the team with 11 receptions for 142 yards. He also added 40 knockdown blocks, helping the team average 213 rushing yards-per-game (14th in the nation).[2] In the last game against Arizona State University, his blocking contributed to gaining 607 rushing yards, including a school record 288 rushing yards by Trung Canidate.
He finished as one of the school's top receiving tight ends, with 43 receptions for 563 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also earned his degree in Political science.
Professional career
Because his size was similar to that of an offensive tackle, Lucky was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round (229th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft, with the intention of using him as a blocking tight end.[3] His rookie season got off to a difficult start as he suffered a stress fracture in his left foot on August 27 and was forced to miss five weeks, including the first 2 games. On October 3, he earned his first career start and first career reception, both against the Arizona Cardinals.
His sophomore season with the Cowboys never got under-way as he suffered a career threatening injury, tearing the ACL, MCL and PCL in his right knee during the pre-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[4] He underwent re-constructive surgery to repair the ligaments in his knee on August 1, 2000, and was placed on the injured reserve list.
After 12 months of rehab, he returned to action and earned starts in 5-of-16 games in 2001. His blocking helped bring about a resurgence in the team's running game that saw the Cowboys rank third in the league with 136.5 yards-per-game on the ground. As a receiver, he recorded 13 receptions for 96 yards and his first career touchdown. In view of his comeback, his teammates voted him the recipient of their 2001 Ed Block Courage Award.[5]
In 2002, he appeared in 16 games (no starts) and recorded one reception for 22 yards. He also was a part of the 17-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks where Emmitt Smith broke the NFL all-time rushing record. That year would mark his final season as a professional football player, after retiring because of knee injuries.
Personal life
Off the field, he showed support for the Race for the Cure in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, which benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. He also donated time to "Our Children's Center in Irving".
Lucky and his wife Deanna have a daughter, Madison. Deanna was a member of the inaugural Dallas Desperados Dancers team. Lucky and his family now live in Mesa, Arizona.
References
- "Mike Lucky". Antioch Historical Society. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- "Mike Lucky". Antioch Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- "Cowboys aim for speed, playmakers as draft ends". Lubbock Avalanche Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- "Oft-injured Cowboys Tight End Not So Lucky". Victoria Advocate. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- "31 Ed Block winners announced". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 19, 2017.