Who is Michael Oher?
Michael Jerome Oher Williams Jr. was born under the zodiac sign of Gemini on the 28th May 1986, in Memphis, Tennessee USA, and is now 32 years-old and a free agent, who is renowned as an American Football offensive tackle. Michael represented the University of Mississippi in college football, before being selected in the initial round of the 2009 National Football League (NFL) Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He has also played for the Carolina Panthers as well as the Tennessee Titans.
Michael Oher Early Life, Family, and College Career
Michael comes from a big family of 12 kids, of parents Denise and Michael Jerome Oher Sr. These two can best be described as absentee parents, as the father was always in prison while the mother was a drug addict who depended on cocaine, which led to Michael to spend most of his childhood in various foster homes, and at times would be left homeless. Due to this family instability, Michael ended up performing very poorly in school, and had to repeat first and second grades, while attending 11 schools in nine years. When Michael was in his senior years, his estranged dad was murdered while in prison.
His life turned around when he was 16, as he was taken in by Sean and Anne Tuhoy, who became Michael’s guardians legally when he turned 17. They even got a tutor for Michael, and he needed to spend at least 20 hours per week studying. While in his junior year, Michael began to excel at football, and by his senior year, he was already the star left tackle in his team. His prowess in football came with many benefits, including many scholarships offers from various schools. He also scooped two letters in track and basketball, managing 22 points per game and 10 rebounds which earned him All-State honors and helped his team to a 27-6 record, and a win in the district championship. As a senior, Michael became a runner-up in the state for the discus throw. In 2014, USA Today gave Michael All-America honors. He was also offered a slot to play in the “Army All-America Bowl”. That same year, Michael accepted a scholarship to study at the University of Mississippi, after declining similar offers from other universities including Louisiana State University, North Carolina State, Tennessee, and Alabama.
Michael played 11 football games for his college as a freshman, starting 10 of these games playing in the position of right guard. In 2015, he was selected by The Sporting News as Freshman All-Sec and All-America.
Michael Professional Life
His professional career started in 2009 when he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens, the 23rd NLF Draft pick. Michael was given jersey number 74 and played the position of right tackle before shifting to the left, and then back to the right tackle after around two months. His contract with the Ravens would last five years.
Michael went ahead to win the 2013 Super Bowl ring, and in 2014 received a four-year contract, this time with the Tennessee Titans, but due to injuries he missed numerous games, and was terminated the following year, after which he joined the Carolina Panthers, where he played the left tackle.
Michael Oher Story on “The Blind Side”
In 2009, a film was released depicting the life of Michael Oher, based on the Michael Lewis book “The Blind Side – Evolution of a Game”, directed by John Lee, and following Oher’s poor upbringing during his early school life, moving on to depict an offensive football lineman who was drafted by NFL. His character was played by Quinton Aaron who acted beside Sandra Bullock (Leigh Tuohy), Tim McGraw who played Michaels father, and Kathy Bates as his tutor, Miss Sue. This movie also featured various NCAA coaches both current and former.
The Blind Side” made more than $300 million at the box office, with Sandra Bullock winning Academy and Golden Globe Awards as Best Actress, among other awards. The movie was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The producers considered this nomination a surprise and made the Academy alter the requirements for the nomination of Best Picture.
Although the movie was a big hit, Michael Oher was not satisfied with how his story was told. For example, his character depicted him as a loner which he says is not the true story. According to him, he takes his career seriously but plays with a smile and laughter. He also felt that it did not fully show his childhood struggles. All in all, the film was a success and received positive reviews and feedback from critics and fans as well.
Michael Oher Personal Life, Wedding, and Children
People often ask whether Michael is married and if so, does he have any children? Well, the answer to both these questions is no. Michael has always kept his personal life secret and away from the limelight, but he remains single and focused on his career as a sportsman. There have never been any romantic links that relate to him, which has left many fans intrigued and set on exploring his supposed marriage and family life, but there has never been any news of Michael fathering a child either. All he has managed to do is make a name in the sports world. Who knows, Michael might surprise his fans in the near future, by taking a wife and starting a family.
Michael Oher Arrest
In April 2017, Michael was arrested after an Uber driver claimed that he assaulted him. He was booked and released after being charged with a misdemeanor. Michael is said to have been riding with friends in Nashville when he confronted the driver, apparently over inflated charges.
Michael Oher Salary, Assets, and Net Worth
With such a thriving career, Michael has managed to accumulate a good sum of money. His earnings are from the contracts, bonuses, and salaries from his endeavors. In 2009, he signed a $13.4 million debut contract with “Baltimore Ravens” and received a bonus of $942,000 from them too. The following year, his club gave him $1.8 million worth of an incentive, and a $4.6 million bonus. When Michael’s contract with Baltimore Ravens ended, he signed a deal with the Tennessee Titans in 2014 worth $20 million, with a $4 million bonus from them.
In 2015 after he left the Titans, Michael joined the Carolina Panthers on a two-year contract including $7 million in pay, a $2.5 million signing bonus, a $171,000 roster bonus as well as a $150,000 workout bonus. The following year, he signed another three-year contract extension with the same club worth $21.6 million.
In 2014, Michael bought a home in Brentwood, a six-bedroom mansion valued at $1.3 million; he also owns a BMW car worth $84,000. As of this year, his net worth is estimated by authoritative sources to be over $15 million, a drop of $5 million from 2017. The reason for the dip could be due to being laid off last year after a failed physical designation.