Willie parker steelers biography of michaels
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2002: Played in 11 games and started two • Started the season-opener against Miami (Ohio) and at Virginia • Finished second on the team with 70 carries for 236 yards and one touchdown • Also caught 12 passes for 104 yards • Had his most productive day of the season in Carolina’s win at Syracuse with 79 yards rushing on 13 carries • Averaged 6.1 yards per carry in the game • Had a 50-yard touchdown run to end the first quarter as the Tar Heels took a 10-0 lead vs. SU • Led the Tar Heels with 43 yards rushing on 13 attempts against NC State • Also had one reception for five yards • Had a season-high 15 carries for 36 yards and five receptions for 43 yards at Virginia • Had six rushes for 26 yards against Florida State • Had four carries for five yards against Maryland • Gained 12 yards on four carries in the loss to Wake Forest • Gained 12 yards on five carries against Arizona State • Gained 15 yards on two
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Steelers' Parker cashes in with new four-year deal
In new money, the Parker deal is considered a three-year extension that totals $13.2 million and has him signed through 2009. He receives a $3.75 million signing bonus and keeps his $425,000 base salary. The Steelers can look it as a four-year deal worth $13.6 million while parkerar looks at it as a three-year deal worth $13.2 million.
Parker was one of the great stories in 2005. An undrafted halfback out of North Carolina, parkerar won the starting job and helped the Steelers win their fifth Super Bowl fingerprydnad as an organization. The 5-foot-10, 209-pound Parker rushed for 1,202 yards on 255 carries and kvartet touchdowns.
He was the Steelers' big play back and teamed up with Jerome Bettis in 2005 to give the Steelers a great one-two punch.
Bettis has since retired, and the Steelers are counting on Duce Staley to be team's big back. The Steelers are considering expanding Parker's role and maybe using him a little on third downs. Verron Ha
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Parker's emergence from obscurity complete
DETROIT -- Willie Parker's father loved the fact that no one was talking about his son in the days leading up to Super Bowl XL.
"I know how he operates" Willie Parker Sr. said by telephone from the family's home in Clinton N.C. this week. "I like the way it's going right now. It's on low key. They're focused on the other players right now. When that happens it motivates this kid. He'll go out there and say 'I'll show them.'"
Parker showed them all right ripping off a 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter last night that was the longest run in Super Bowl history. The previous record was held by Hall of Famer Marcus Allen (74 yards.)
Parker the Steelers' first 1000-yard back not named Jerome Bettis since Barry Foster in 1992 broke a taut mistake-filled Super Bowl open on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter.
On second-and-10 from the Pittsburgh 25 left guard Alan Faneca pulled and leveled a crushing kickout block to s