Mike Utley is a philanthropist and an ex-football player. During his tenure with Washington State University, he made history both with the team and as an individual, earning multiple awards, and cementing his place in college football legacy. Despite achieving great success, his three years with the the Detroit Lions were laden with multiple injuries, holding him back from showing his proven potential, and culminating in a spine injury that left him a quadriplegic.
Even though his spine injury ended his career and left him with very limited mobility, Mike Utley proved his resiliency and determination. He managed to mitigate the severity of his condition, which helped him lead a more independent and enjoy life. In addition to his own recovery, at the same year of the injury, he co-founded a nonprofit called The Michael Utley Foundation, aiming to help rehabilitate people with similar injuries and raise awareness. Even after all these years, Mike Utley maintains an active role in charity work, giving inspirational talks and providing monetary support to people with these injuries.
[post_page_title]Hall of Famer[/post_page_title]
Mike Utley is an accomplished football player who made history as an individual and a team player. His abilities on the field put Washington State University on the map, helping it win its first bowl victory in ages – an accomplishment for which he was inducted into the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame, in 2004. This isn’t the only hall of fame election Utley has under his belt. His dedication and hard-work during his college years made him both a college finals MVP and an All-American football player, but these esteemed awards weren’t the end of it. In 2016, Utley’s college football career culminated in one of the greatest prizes an athlete can earn, being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
