Mike Pearson (gridiron football)

American gridiron football player (born 1980)

Michael Wayne Pearson (born August 22, 1980) is an American former college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) for five seasons. Pearson played college football for the University of Florida, and earned consensus All American honors. A second round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL and the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL.

Pearson was born in Tampa, Florida in 1980. He attended Armwood High School in Seffner, Florida, where he played high school football for the Armwood Hawks.

Pearson accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, After being red shirted in 1998, he was a three year letterman for the Gators, and he received the Gators' James W. Kynes Award, recognizing him as the lineman who "best exemplified mental and physical toughness and iron man determination." Pearson graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2001, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2013.

Pearson was drafted in the second round (40th pick overall) in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he played for the Jaguars from through His "break" came in his rookie season, when offensive tackle Maurice Williams was injured. Pearson started at left tackle for thirty one consecutive games, until he was injured on October 3, 2004 against the Indianapolis Colts; after knee surgery he was placed on injured reserve, and returned in 2005. He started two games in 2005, and was released. In 2006, he was signed by the Miami Dolphins, but released during training camp. He signed by the Houston Texans in November and was released in December. In June , he signed as a free agent with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. He began the season as the Argos' starting left tackle, but after two games, was moved to the injured reserved list with an infected right index finger. Pearson was treated to intravenous therapy with serious concerns over whether the infection required finger amputation. On May 31, 2008, Pearson announced his retirement from professional football, after having played in nine regular season games for the Argonauts during 2007.