Michael Strahan is opening up about how his daughter Isabella’s brain cancer diagnosis has profoundly impacted his outlook on life.
During a recent interview with In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Strahan shared how the experience has shifted his priorities and led him to reconsider retirement, though he remains noncommittal about the exact timing.
“You’d think I’m the athlete, the tough guy, the father in the family. It is not about any of that. It has really made me change my perspective on so many things,” he said. “I want a life where there’s some freedom at some point. Is it in two years, three years, five years, fifteen, twenty?”
Hailing from Texas, Michael Strahan is one of the most recognized figures in the NFL and beyond. After 15 seasons with the New York Giants and a Super Bowl victory, he transitioned seamlessly into television, endearing himself to millions as a GMA anchor and host of other primetime shows.
“I love my life and I enjoy my life, but at some point, my kids are in college, I want to be able to go to college and say, ‘Yeah, let’s take a trip,'”he continued.
Strahan mentioned in his interview that he and a friend have a bet on how long he will actually work, but he is keeping the actual number private. The 100,000 Pyramid host does say that he wants to be off television before “people are sick of me.”
“I don’t want to lose gratefulness of being there and being part of something,” Strahan said. “I’ll be off TV before a lot of people are sick of me being on TV.”
While Strahan hasn’t set a definitive date for his retirement, his hints suggest a departure that will be both memorable and heartfelt.
“One day I may be like Forrest Gump when he’s jogging, and then he just stops and he’s got all these people behind him, and he turns around and says ‘I’m going home now.’ And they’re like ‘What? That’s it?’ That’s me when it’s over. Turn around and go home.”
Photo: Michael Strahan Instagram