Mike Tolbert life and biography

Mike Tolbert (born November 23, 1985 in Douglasville, Georgia) is an American football fullback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played high school football at Douglas County High School, then college football at Coastal Carolina University.

The Human Dance Machine, Tolbert has become a fanfavorite for his celebratory on-field dances. And he had good reason to show off those moves in 2009. Tolbert led the team with 22 special teams tackles and accounted for a career-best 340 combined rushing and receiving yards, and scored four touchdowns. Tolbert saved his best for late in the season as he and fellow back Jacob Hester formed a potent 1-2 punch, helping the Chargers close out several games with their powerful running style.

While there was triumph on the field, there were also difficult times off it. In December, just days before the Chargers faced the Browns in Cleveland, Tolbert’s grandmother passed away. Fittingly he paid tribute to her the only way he knew how, scoring a touchdown on a careerlong 66-yard catch and run and then pointing to the sky to salute her from the end zone in Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Tolbert came from near obscurity to make the team in 2008, doing it the hard way as an undrafted rookie from Coastal Carolina. So rare in fact that Tolbert is the first-ever Chanticleer to play for the Chargers.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed as undrafted rookie, May 2, 2008...re-signed one-year contract, March 25, 2010.

2009: Oct. 19 vs. DEN, toppled P Brett Kern to spring Darren Sproles loose on 77-yard PR TD...Game Ball after first TD catch of season Nov. 15 vs. PHI (20 yards)...Game Ball for season-high 58 yards rushing and TD Nov. 22 at DEN...career-long 66-yard TD catch Dec. 6 at CLE.

2008: First-careerstart Sept. 7 vs. CAR and very first touch was 16-yard screen to help Chargers’ get away from goal line following early defensive goal-line stand…season-long 67 yard catch-and-run Sept. 14 at DEN…threw key wedge-block during Sproles’ team-record-tying 103-yard KOR TD vs. Broncos…scored first-career TD on ESPN’s MNF vs. NYJ Sept. 22…inj. shoulder vs. IND Nov. 23 and INA for ATL, OAK and KC contests Wks 12-14…INA for Wild Card Playoffs vs. Colts and Divisional Playoffs at PIT.

COLLEGE: Second-team (FCS) All-America and first-team All-Big South as senior...Big South Offensive POW after schoolrecord 244 yards and two TDs vs. VMI in ’07, including school and conference-record 86-yard GW TD run late in 4Q to break 35-35 tie...was one yard shy of conference single-game rushing record...Big South Frosh of Week vs. Liberty in ’04...finished career with 1,670 yards and 21 TDs... played at Coastal Carolina from 2004-07...sports management major.

PERSONAL: Born in Carrollton, Georgia...All-America and allstate at Douglas County HS in Douglasville, Ga....Howard Thompson Trophy as county’s top senior...Douglas County Sentinel Athlete of Week five times during prep career...County Defensive POY as junior and senior...first-ever backto-back recipient...lettered in basketball...numerous academic awards, including Who’s Who in USA HS Sports, National Scholar-Athlete and Presidential Scholar.

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