Mike Black (punter)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1961)}}
{{Distinguish|Mike Black (kicker)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Mike Black
| number = 11
| position = Punter
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|1|18}}
| birth_place = Glendale, California, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 197
| high_school = Glendale
| college = Arizona State (1979–1982)
| draftyear = 1983
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 181
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1983|1986}})
- Minnesota Vikings ({{NFL Year|1987}})*
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1987}})
| highlights =
- 3× First-team All-Pac-10 (1980–1982)
| statlabel1 = Punts
| statvalue1 = 272
| statlabel2 = Punt yards
| statvalue2 = 11,181
| statlabel3 = Longest punt
| statvalue3 = 63
| pfr = B/BlacMi20
}}
Peter Michael Black (born January 18, 1961) is an American former professional football punter who played five seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Lions in the seventh round of the 1983 NFL draft after playing college football at Arizona State University.
Early life and college
Peter Michael Black was born on January 18, 1961, in Glendale, California.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BlacMi20.htm | title=Mike Black | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=25 April 2025}} He attended Glendale High School in Glendale.
Black played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils of Arizona State University from 1979 to 1982. He punted 55 times for 2,085 yards in 1979, 53 times for 2,299 yards in 1980, 57 times for 2,421 yards in 1981, and 64 times for 2,850 yards in 1982.{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/mike-black-1.html | title=Mike Black | publisher=Sports Reference | accessdate=25 April 2025}} Black was named first-team All-Pac-10 punter in 1980, 1981 and 1982, averaging 43.4, 42.5 and 44.3 yards per punt respectively in those seasons.
Professional career
Black was selected by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round, with the 181st overall pick, of the 1983 NFL draft. He played in all 16 games during his rookie year in 1983, totaling 71 punts for 2,911 yards. He also appered in one playoff game that season and punted twice for 73 yards. Black played in all 16 games for the second consecutive season in 1984, punting 76 times for 3,164 yards. He appeared in all 16 games for the third straight year in 1985, punting 73 times for 3,054 yards. Black played in the first nine games of the 1986 season, recording 46 punts for 1,819 yards and a 39.5 average, before being waived and replaced with Jim Arnold.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/171104863/ | title=Kramer has Vikings on the move | work=Detroit Free Press | date=November 9, 1986 | accessdate=25 April 2025 | pages=4E}}
Black signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 1987.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-cloud-times/171105288/ | title=Vikings | work=St. Cloud Times | date=August 19, 1987 | accessdate=25 April 2025 | pages=6D}} He was released on August 31, 1987.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vicksburg-post/171105185/ | title=Transactions | work=The Vicksburg Post | date=September 1, 1987 | accessdate=25 April 2025 | pages=B2}}
On September 29, 1987, Black signed with the Lions during the 1987 NFL players strike.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/171105696/ | title=Three former Lions upgrade B team | work=Detroit Free Press | date=September 30, 1987 | accessdate=25 April 2025 | author=Sylvester, Curt}} He played in one game for the Lions during the 1987 season and punted six times for 233 yards.
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| Bold
| Career high |
= Regular season =
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="10"| Punting | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|GP|Games played}} | Punts | {{abbr|Yds|Yards}} | {{Nowrap|Net Yds}} | {{abbr|Lng|Longest punt}} | {{abbr|Avg|Average}} | {{Nowrap|Net Avg}} | {{abbr|Blk|Blocked punts}} | {{abbr|Ins20|Inside 20 yard line}} | {{abbr|TB|Touchbacks}} | |
| 1983 | DET
| 16 || 71 || 2,911 || 2,429 || 60 || 41.0 || 33.7 || 1 || 17 || 9 | |||||||||
| 1984 | DET
| 16 || 76 || 3,164 || 2,488 || 63 || 41.6 || 32.7 || 0 || 13 || 8 | |||||||||
| 1985 | DET
| 16 || 73 || 3,054 || 2,534 || 60 || 41.8 || 34.7 || 0 || 16 || 5 | |||||||||
| 1986 | DET
| 9 || 46 || 1,819 || 1,469 || 47 || 39.5 || 31.3 || 1 || 11 || 5 | |||||||||
| 1987 | DET
| 1 || 6 || 233 || 221 || 47 || 38.8 || 36.8 || 0 || 1 || 0 | |||||||||
| colspan="2"| Career | 58 | 272 | 11,181 | 9,141 | 63 | 41.1 | 33.4 | 2 | 58 | 27 |
= Playoffs =
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="10"| Punting | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|GP|Games played}} | Punts | {{abbr|Yds|Yards}} | {{Nowrap|Net Yds}} | {{abbr|Lng|Longest punt}} | {{abbr|Avg|Average}} | {{Nowrap|Net Avg}} | {{abbr|Blk|Blocked punts}} | {{abbr|Ins20|Inside 20 yard line}} | {{abbr|TB|Touchbacks}} | |
| 1983 | DET
| 1 || 2 || 73 || 53 || 51 || 36.5 || 26.5 || 0 || 1 || 1 | |||||||||
| colspan="2"| Career | 1 | 2 | 73 | 53 | 51 | 36.5 | 26.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Lions1983DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, Mike}}
Category:American football punters
Category:Arizona State Sun Devils football players
Category:Detroit Lions players
Category:Minnesota Vikings players
Category:Players of American football from Glendale, California