Mike Quick - (2010)

            Michael “Mike” Anthony Quick was born in Hamlet, North Carolina, the youngest boy among nine siblings. Then and now, his close-knit, spiritual family under the loving and steadfast guidance of his mother, Mary, inspire and motivate him to succeed as an athlete, community leader, businessman, friend and most important, son, brother, and father to his twin sons.

            A gifted athlete from an early age, Quick’s first experience on the football field was with Hamlet’s youth league, where coach Clyde Norton, helped lay a foundation for his future success both on the field and in life.

            Quick excelled at football, basketball and track and was among the distinguished seniors to graduate from Richmond Senior High School in Richmond County, NC. He was a member of the state champion 4 X 400 relay team and, at age 18, a world-class hurdler.  Quick led his basketball team and conference in points that same year and intended to play basketball in college.

            Recognizing his talent and potential to succeed athletically and academically at a Division I college, Quick’s high school football and track coach, Ron Kroll, encouraged him to attend Fork Union Military Academy before going onto college. Quick recalls that Coach Kroll often said, “Son, you don’t even know how good you are.”

            At Fork Union, Quick learned discipline as well as good study habits and continued to excel in athletics. He was named most valuable athlete and earned a football scholarship to North Carolina State, where he majored in speech communications.

            Highly motivated and always a fair, but tough competitor, it was as a freshman at NC State, where Quick honed his skills as a receiver and the seeds of a successful NFL career were sown.  He was offensive MVP of the Blue-Gray Game and played in the Olympia Gold Bowl. Quick also continued his track and field career at NC State, with a best time of 13.6 in the 110-meter hurdles.

            The first round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1982 draft, Quick spent his entire NFL career - nine seasons - with the Eagles and was one of the premier players in the league. Throughout his career, Quick was recognized not only for his exceptional hands and ability to get open, but also for his uncanny ability to elude defenders. Over five consecutive seasons (1983-87), he caught more touchdown passes (53) than any other NFL player; was ranked third in yardage and voted to the Pro Bowl with starts following the ’83, ’85 and ’87 seasons. 

            Knee and quadriceps problems led to Quick’s retirement after the 1990 season. Ten years later he was inducted into the Eagles’ Honor Roll. Quick recently completed his 12th season as a color analyst on Eagles Radio, working alongside play-by-play announcer Merrill Reese.

            An avid golfer, Quick also enjoys drawing - both expressions of his exceptional talent, eye-hand coordination and creativity. He also gives unselfishly of his time to the community, serving on the board of directors of Philadelphia Big Brothers Big Sisters and on the board of trustees for Archway Programs Foundation, which serves children and adults with special needs in Southern New Jersey.