Mike Peterson

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Lore & Background

Peterson's professional journey began when the Indianapolis Colts selected him in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft, a pick acquired from the St. Louis Rams in exchange for Marshall Faulk. He played four seasons with the Colts before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003. His tenure with the Jaguars lasted six seasons until 2008, ending after a verbal altercation with coach Jack del Rio during a team meeting. In 2009, Peterson joined the Atlanta Falcons, where he played through 2012. On March 13, 2012, he became an unrestricted free agent but re-signed with the Falcons on July 23, 2012. He became a free agent again in 2013 before retiring. During his playing career, he earned Second-team All-Pro honors in 2005.

In Their Own Story

The turning point of Peterson's college career occurred during the 1996 season when the Florida Gators finished with a 12–1 record. He was part of the team that defeated top-ranked Florida State Seminoles 52–20 in the Sugar Bowl to win the Bowl Alliance national championship. Over his college career, he started twenty-four of forty-two games and recorded 249 tackles, three forced fumbles, thirteen tackles for a loss, and 8.5 sacks. As a senior team captain in 1998, he was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) and first-team All-American, while his teammates voted him the Gators' most valuable player. His contributions were recognized when he was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a 'Gator Great' in 2011.

Reader's Guide

After retiring from the NFL, Peterson returned to the University of Florida in 2013 to complete his undergraduate degree. He began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant on the strength and conditioning staff, becoming the coordinator in 2014 after graduating. In 2016, he was hired as the outside linebackers coach for Will Muschamp's staff at the University of South Carolina. On January 5, 2022, Peterson returned to his alma mater to serve as the outside linebackers coach on Billy Napier's staff at Florida. Off the field, he is known for his family connections and philanthropy; he is the older brother of former Chicago Bears running back Adrian Peterson and cousin of former NFL wide receiver Freddie Solomon. In 2004, he and his wife Chantal established the Mike Peterson Foundation to support under-served youth in Alachua, Jacksonville, and Atlanta, serving over 15,000 families through programs like the Top Dog Readers Club.

Did You Know?

• Peterson was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a 'Gator Great' in 2011.
• The Colts acquired Peterson's draft pick from the St. Louis Rams in exchange for Marshall Faulk.
• His departure from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008 followed a verbal altercation with coach Jack del Rio during a team meeting.
• He is the older brother of former Chicago Bears running back Adrian Peterson and cousin of NFL wide receiver Freddie Solomon.
• As a senior captain at Florida, he started 24 of 42 games and recorded 8.5 sacks.