Michael Strahan was a little more than halfway through his NFL career when 9/11 happened. The defensive end spent all 15 seasons of his pro football career with the New York Giants. One ominous moment from that catastrophic period that Strahan will never forget took place on the Giants’ practice field outside MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The World Trade Center’s twin towers, just across the Hudson River in lower Manhattan, were easily spotted from the stadium. But the sudden change in the skyline wasn’t the only haunting sign of what had been lost. For a change, Strahan and his producing partner Constance Schwartz-Morini and others sought to put the emphasis on the joyful, inspirational, galvanizing and cathartic moments that the nation experienced in the days after the attacks.
There were personalities and moments that consoled a grieving country. A quarter century later, Strahan is no longer sacking quarterbacks. After retiring from football following the 2007 season, he made a successful segue into sportscasting on “Fox NFL Sunday” in 2008.
He joined Kelly Ripa as co-host of “Live With Kelly and Michael” from 2012 to 2016. Since 2016, he’s been an anchor for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” As Strahan thought about the significance of the 25-year milestone for 9/11, he found himself remembering the feeling of unity and national pride that emerged amid the shock that a terrorist plot to hijack commercial aircraft could kill thousands of people, destroy the World Trade Center and severely damage the Pentagon. But there were some catalysts for people who felt very hopeless at the time — being in sports, entertainment, music and Broadway,” Strahan says.
You’ll go from joy to happiness and laughter and sadness. You just feel everything. But it’s a good reminder of where we were, where we’ve come and hopefully where we hope to get back to.” Notables who take part in the special include Derek Jeter, Jon Bon Jovi, Matthew Broderick, Billy Crystal, Pete Davidson, Jimmy Fallon, Mark Messier, Jon Stewart as well as Strahan’s ABC News colleagues Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Martha Raddatz.
It was produced by SMAC Productions, A+E Factual Studios, Derek Jeter’s Cap 2 Productions and The Montag Group for ABC News Studios, For Strahan, being part of one of New York’s highest-profile sports teams at a time when the city felt under siege was a profound experience that taught him about the deeper meaning of sports. At first, he wondered how any team would return to a normal NFL schedule after the horror that struck just two days after the start of regular-season NFL play that year. But as the enormity of the loss sank in, Strahan realized that sports and teams that people love would play a huge role in moving the country forward.
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