Mike Esposito (American football)

Mike Esposito
No. 26
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1953-04-24) April 24, 1953 (age 71)
Everett, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:183 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school:Wilmington (MA)
College:Boston College
NFL draft:1975 / round: 7 / pick: 159
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • 2× Second-team All-East (1972, 1973)
  • Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame (1980)
Career NFL statistics
Rushes:101
Rushing yards:439
Rushing TDs:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Michael John Esposito (born April 24, 1953) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Atlanta Falcons. He attended Wilmington High School in Massachusetts[1][2] and played college football for the Boston College Eagles.[3]

Esposito was a participant in the 1974 East–West Shrine Game. As part of the game, each player would visit the Shriners Hospitals for Children. While visiting, he noticed Nicole Worley-Urteaga, a two-year-old patient with Holt-Oram syndrome. She appeared frightened and was crying. Esposito took her hand to calm her down and they walked down the hallway together. A photographer from a local newspaper noticed the scene and snapped a photo of the two. The image became the inspiration for the official logo of the East-West Shrine Game and is displayed annually on the 50-yard line.[4][5]

  1. ^ Cooke, Rick (November 29, 2009). "After all of these years, Mike Esposito is still a very big deal in Wilmington". Wilmington Town Crier. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  2. ^ Pevear, David (August 3, 2014). "Ex-Wilmington High football star's invention is on the level". Lowell Sun. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  3. ^ Mike Esposito Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards - databaseFootball.com Archived 2007-02-08 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Correspondent, RICK COOKESports. "After all of these years, Mike Esposito is still a very big deal in Wilmington". homenewshere.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "Story Behind the Logo". shrinegame.com. Retrieved January 4, 2018.