Harold Carmichael

Lore & Background

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

Reader's Guide

Carmichael was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round (161st overall) of the 1971 NFL draft. As a rookie, he was converted into a tight end, starting six of nine games and leading the team's tight ends with twenty receptions. The next year he moved to wide receiver. In 1973, he led the league with 67 receptions for 1,116 yards and was tied for fourth with nine receiving touchdowns. He was elected to four Pro Bowls. In 1980, he set an NFL record by catching passes in 127 consecutive games and helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl XV. He was waived by the Eagles on May 11, 1984, signed by the New York Jets on August 8, released on August 26, then signed with the Dallas Cowboys on September 6, playing two games and catching one pass before being cut on November 14. He retired as the Eagles' all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and total touchdowns. He was selected to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team and inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame in 1987.

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 one of only a few players able to throw a football from one end zone to the other end zone.
• He and Brent Celek are the only Eagles with three touchdowns in a single post-season (1979).