Since retiring from the NFL in 2007, Michael Strahan hasn't exactly been talking it easy. The past six years have seen him transform himself from ex-footballer player in to a media darling, and now things are set to get even bigger for the 6 foot 5 star. Yesterday it was announced that Strahan is joining the team of Good Morning America after Josh Elliot's sudden departure. So how did a former New York Giant find himself as the next member of America’s biggest morning show?

Michael StrahanMichael Strahan is coming to Good Morning America

Michael Strahan was born in Houston Texas, the youngest of six children, Strahan’s father was a major in the US Army. At aged nine Michael and his family moved to an army base in Germany after his father was stationed there. Whilst in Germany, Michael showed early promise as a football player, starting as linebacker for his school team. His family eventually sent him back to Texas to live with relatives and he enrolled in Westbury High School in Houston, making his high school football debut during his senior year. Despite only getting one high school season in, Strahan showed enough promise to be offered a football scholarship from Texas Southern University upon graduation.

Strahan joined the New York Giants in 1993, where he would remain for all of his 15 year football career. Whilst on the team he played in the Super Bowl XXXV, where the Giants suffered a crushing defeat from the Baltimore Ravens. His career ended in 2008, after the Giant’s most successful season since 1990, which ended with them wining Super Bowl XLII. Post retirement, Strahan moved into sports commentary signing with Fox Sports in 2008 as an analyst. He currently features on the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show. Strahan has also tried his hand at acting, with the 2009 short lived TV series, Brothers, where he played a retired NFL player returning home. Brothers ran for just 13 episodes on Fox. More successfully, Strahan has appeared in a number of commercials, including ones for Subway, Snickers and Vaseline.

Michael Strahan

From 2010 Michael started appearing on Live! with Regis and Kelly, filling in for Regis Philbin. Philbin, who has been hosting the show since 1988 with his original partner Kathie Lee, would prove a hard act to follow when he announced his retirement in 2011. The departure of Philbin led to a nearly year long search for a new co host with over 60 guest hosts appearing over the period. Finally in September 2012 Strahan was announced as the new permanent guest host.

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