View source for Mike Stratton

{{Short description|American football player (1941–2020)}}
{{About|the American football player|the British cancer researcher|Michael Stratton}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name          = Mike Stratton
| image         =
| image_size    = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| number        = 58
| position      = [[Linebacker]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1941|4|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Vonore, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2020|3|25|1941|4|10}}
| death_place   = [[Knoxville, Tennessee]], U.S.
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 3
| weight_lbs    = 224
| high_school   = Tellico Plains<br>([[Tellico Plains, Tennessee]])
| college       = [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]]
| afldraftyear  = 1962
| afldraftround = 13
| afldraftpick  = 100
| pastteams     =
* [[Buffalo Bills]] ([[1962 American Football League season|1962]]–{{NFL Year|1972}})
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|1973}})
| highlights    =
* 2× [[AFL champion]] ([[1964 American Football League Championship Game|1964]], [[1965 American Football League Championship Game|1965]])
* 6× [[American Football League All-Star game|AFL All-Star]] (1963–1968)
* [[AFL All-Time Second Team]]
* [[Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame]]
* [[Buffalo Bills#50th Anniversary Team|Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team]]
| pfr           = S/StraMi01
| statlabel1    = [[Quarterback sack]]s
| statvalue1    = 31.5
| statlabel2    = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2    = 21
| statlabel3    = [[Touchdown]]s
| statvalue3    = 2 
}}
'''David Michael Stratton''' (April 10, 1941 – March 25, 2020) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[linebacker]] for 12 seasons in the [[American Football League]] (AFL) and [[National Football League]] (NFL). He won two [[AFL championship]]s with the [[Buffalo Bills]], where he was a six-time [[AFL All-Star]]. He was named to the [[AFL All-Time Second Team]].

Stratton played [[college football]] for the [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee Volunteers]]. He played professionally for 11 years with the Bills and spent his final season with the [[San Diego Chargers]]. He won two AFL championships with the Bills in 1964 and 1965, with his tackle of [[Keith Lincoln]] in the former game being referred to as “The Hit Heard ‘Round the World”. His contributions as a team leader of a defense that allowed just seven points each in consecutive championship games as resulted in him being called one of the best defensive players in Bills history.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/talkoffame/.amp/state-your-case/mike-stratton-and-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame|title=State Your Case: Buffalo never forgot LB Mike Stratton; so why has Canton?|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=29 March 2023
|date=13 May 2020|author=Clark Judge}}</ref>

==Early life==
Stratton attended Tellico Plains High in [[Tellico Plains, Tennessee]], a [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] in the [[Great Smoky Mountains]] region.<ref name=johnson_09041961>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Raymond|title='L'l Abner' End Promises Great Things For Vols|date=September 4, 1961|newspaper=The Nashville Tennessean|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47438981/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref><ref name=pfr/> Football players there did not attract [[college recruiter]]s, and Tellico Plains athletes rarely went to college. Stratton played [[tackle (gridiron football position)|tackle]], [[fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]] and [[wingback (American football)|wingback]].<ref name=johnson_09041961/>

Stratton received a [[athletic scholarship|scholarship]] from [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Volunteers]] coach [[Bowden Wyatt]] to play at the [[University of Tennessee]].<ref name=johnson_09041961/> He was a [[two-way player]] with Tennessee, playing [[tight end]] on offense and [[defensive end]] on defense.<ref>{{cite book|last=Miller|first=Jeffrey J.|title=100 Things Bills Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die|chapter=41. The Man Who Made The Hit Heard 'Round The World|year=2012|publisher=Triumph Books|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jJ-jt4WU_YwC&q=buffalo%20bills%20%22wall%20of%20fame%22%20stratton%20-died%20-%22passed%20away%22&pg=PT143|isbn=9781623680183|access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>

==Professional career ==
Drafted out of college by the [[Buffalo Bills]] in the 13th round of the [[1962 AFL draft]], Stratton was selected as an [[AFL All-Star]] six straight seasons from 1963 through 1968.<ref name="pfr">{{Cite web |title=Mike Stratton Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StraMi01.htm |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=malorana_03252020>{{cite news|last=Malorana|first=Sal|title=Mike Stratton, who made one of the most famous plays in Buffalo Bills history, dies at 78|date=March 25, 2020|newspaper=Rochester Democrat and Chronicle|url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2020/03/25/mike-stratton-buffalo-bills-legend-dies-age-78-linebacker-keith-lincold/5080489002/|access-date=March 26, 2020}}</ref> Bills coach [[Lou Saban]] teamed him with [[Harry Jacobs (American football)|Harry Jacobs]] and [[John Tracey]] to form one of the best linebacking crews, playing together for 62 consecutive games from 1963 through 1967, a pro football record. They helped the Bills defense hold opposing teams without a 100-yard rusher for seventeen consecutive games in [[1964 AFL season|1964]] and [[1965 AFL season|1965]], capturing [[AFL championship]]s in both years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Harry Jacobs|date=July 25, 2012 |publisher=Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame|url=https://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/member/harry-jacobs/|access-date=March 26, 2020}}</ref>

In the [[1964 American Football League Championship Game|1964 AFL Championship Game]] against the [[San Diego Chargers]], Stratton made the memorable "hit heard 'round the world".<ref name=buffhof>{{cite web|publisher=Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame|url=https://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/member/mike-stratton/|title=Mike Stratton|date=July 25, 2012 |access-date=March 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/amid-all-his-honors-one-big-hit-defined-mike-strattons-great-bills-career/article_815cb12b-cdf0-566c-a3c3-01e45130851f.html|title=Amid all his honors, one big hit defined Mike Stratton's great Bills career|date=March 26, 2020|agency=[[The Buffalo News]]|author=Northrop, Milt|accessdate=February 13, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211225559/https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/amid-all-his-honors-one-big-hit-defined-mike-strattons-great-bills-career/article_815cb12b-cdf0-566c-a3c3-01e45130851f.html|archivedate=February 11, 2022}}</ref> San Diego's [[Keith Lincoln]] had a 38-yard run on the game's opening play.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/mike-strattons-hit-heard-round-the-world-a-bills-gift-for-the-ages/article_cb5c1ab8-7849-5565-ad4d-384b81e4b0c7.html|title=Mike Stratton's 'Hit Heard 'Round the World': A Bills gift for the ages|date=December 26, 2019|agency=[[The Buffalo News]]|author=Brady, Erik|accessdate=February 13, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211225622/https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/mike-strattons-hit-heard-round-the-world-a-bills-gift-for-the-ages/article_cb5c1ab8-7849-5565-ad4d-384b81e4b0c7.html|archivedate=February 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://buffalonews.com/news/stratton-has-a-vision-of-hit-against-lincoln/article_ed0adcd4-cc28-5192-a483-250105b51c56.html|title= Stratton has a vision of hit against Lincoln|date=January 10, 1992|agency=[[The Buffalo News]]|author=Sullivan, Jerry|accessdate=February 13, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211225422/https://buffalonews.com/news/stratton-has-a-vision-of-hit-against-lincoln/article_ed0adcd4-cc28-5192-a483-250105b51c56.html|archivedate=February 11, 2022}}</ref> The Chargers were leading 7–0 when Stratton drove his shoulder into Lincoln's midsection, breaking the star [[running back]]'s ribs and knocking him out of the game.<ref name=malorana_03252020/><ref name=buffhof/> The Bills shut out San Diego for the rest of the game, and won 20–7.<ref name=buffhof/> In the closing minutes of the first half with Buffalo leading 13–7, the Chargers drove to the Bills' 15, but Stratton [[intercepted]] a [[Tobin Rote]] pass to end the threat. Rote and San Diego coach [[Sid Gillman]] called the turnover a decisive play.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mike Stratton's 230 Pounds Helped Bills|date=December 28, 1964|newspaper=The Herald-News|page=37|agency=AP|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47439176/|access-date=March 27, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The combined efforts of players such as defensive tackle [[Tom Sestak]], cornerback [[Butch Byrd]], and others led to two Bills championships, where they allowed seven points in each contest.

Stratton played 11 seasons for the Bills before ending his career with the Chargers in 1973. He finished his career with 21 interceptions—18 with the Bills and 3 with the Chargers.<ref name=malorana_03252020/> He was selected to the [[American Football League All-Time Team|AFL All-Time Second Team]].<ref name="bleacher">{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/395320-the-best-outside-linebackers-not-in-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame#page/12 |title=The Best Outside Linebackers Not in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame |website=bleacherreport.com |date=May 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007074452/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/395320-the-best-outside-linebackers-not-in-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame|archive-date=October 7, 2010}}</ref>

== Later years ==
After football, Stratton became an executive with insurance company Crump Associates in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Where Are They Now?|date=November 16, 1979|newspaper=Arizona Daily Sun|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47439135/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref> He and his wife raised three daughters and one son. The son died in 2023.

On March 25, 2020, Stratton died at age 78 from heart complications after a recent fall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-50th-all-time-team-member-mike-stratton-passes?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook|title=Bills 50th All-Time team member Mike Stratton passes|website=www.buffalobills.com|language=en-US|access-date=March 25, 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of American Football League players]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Footballstats|nfl=Mike-Stratton
|pfr=S/StraMi01}}

{{Buffalo Bills}}
{{Bills1962DraftPicks}}
{{1964 Buffalo Bills}}
{{1965 Buffalo Bills}}
{{Buffalo Bills 50th Season All-time Team}}
{{Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame}}
{{AFL1960s}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stratton, Mike}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:American football linebackers]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bills players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:Tennessee Volunteers football players]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Time Team]]
[[Category:American Football League All-Star players]]
[[Category:People from Tellico Plains, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Tennessee]]
[[Category:American Football League players]]