Harold Carmichael

Lore & Background

Carmichael attended William M. Raines High School in Jacksonville, Florida, where he played the trombone and began playing quarterback. He walked on at Southern University, playing basketball as a center, throwing javelin and discus in track, and shifting to wide receiver in football. He was a four-year starter and received All-conference honors as a senior. He was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 2012, and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. In January 2020, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

In Their Own Story

The late-afternoon sun hung low over the gridiron, casting long shadows across the turf. The Lions' huddle broke, and the ball was snapped. The quarterback dropped back, scanned the field, and saw him—Carmichael, already in his route, already three yards ahead of the corner who had been shadowing him since the line. The throw was long, maybe forty-five yards, a dart into a pocket of open field. Carmichael didn't break stride. He simply extended his arms, fingers splayed, and the ball tucked into his grasp as if it had been waiting there for him all along. He crossed the goal line with a half-second to spare, turned, and raised both arms skyward. The stands erupted. Silver and blue scarves whipped through the air. For one frozen moment, the whole stadium belonged to the flying receiver, and Detroit roared his name.

Reader's Guide

Carmichael was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1971 NFL draft. He was converted to tight end as a rookie, then moved to wide receiver. He led the league in receptions in 1973, was elected to four Pro Bowls, and set an NFL record for consecutive games with a catch (127). He was waived by the Eagles in 1984, briefly signed with the New York Jets, then signed with the Dallas Cowboys, playing two games before retiring. He ended his career with 590 receptions for 8,985 yards and 79 touchdown catches. He holds multiple Eagles franchise records and was selected to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team.

Did You Know?

• At 6 feet 8 inches, Carmichael is tied with Dan McGwire for the tallest player to record a touchdown pass in NFL history.
• He is believed to be the tallest wide receiver in NFL history.
• He is one of only a few players able to throw a football from one end zone to the other end zone.
• He retired as the Eagles' all-time leader in pass receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and total touchdowns.