Micah Abernathy

BIOGRAPHY

Born on February 10, 1997, Micah Alexander Abernathy is a celebrated professional football player currently holding the position of safety for the Atlanta Falcons, a team that is a part of the National Football League (NFL). He initially rose to prominence while playing college football at Tennessee, later starting his professional career as an undrafted free agent signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. Since then, his career has seen multiple transitions, including an array of stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers of the NFL, the Dallas Renegades of the XFL and the Houston Gamblers of the USFL.

Abernathy, an illustrious figure within the American football sphere, hails from a family whose roots run deep with significant societal contributions. His grandfather is Ralph Abernathy, a notable 20th-century civil rights activist. As a tip to his potential, Abernathy was a highly sought after four-star recruit for the Class of 2015, ranked as the 233rd prospect and 25th best cornerback prospect nationally by 247Sports. His commitment to the University of Tennessee was official as of October 10, 2014.

His football career at the University of Tennessee spanned from 2015 to 2018, during which he played under head coaches Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt. In his freshman year, he appeared in all 12 games, mainly playing in the nickel position and as a kick returner. Abernathy progressed to play in the safety role in 2016, starting in 10 games for the Volunteers. His performance led to him tying the team lead for interceptions (2) and passes defended (6), securing second place in tackles (69), and topping the fumbles recovered charts (3).

His 2017 performance was equally commendable. Starting all 12 games at safety, he secured the third position on the team in terms of most tackles made (81), although he didn’t record any interceptions and only defended 2 passes. His final season in 2018 saw him start in 8 games as a safety, although an injury saw him miss 4. Recording no interceptions and only one pass defended in this season, NFL analyst Lance Zierlein had graded him a “priority free agent”. Zierlein’s concern was centered around Abernathy’s perceived lack of awareness, instincts, and tackling ability, despite acknowledging his size, speed, and athleticism necessary for the secondary positions.

Despite these observations, Abernathy’s football journey was far from over. The 2019 NFL draft saw him go undrafted, after which he signed on as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings. His time at the Vikings was short-lived, as he was released by the team on July 24, 2019. Abernathy’s trendy hopping continued, signing in quick succession with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts in the same month. However, these contracts were short and he was released from both teams, landing next with the Dallas Renegades of the XFL during the 2020 season, and the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League during the 2022 season.

His tenacity and resilience would eventually pay off in August 2022, when he was signed by the Green Bay Packers following injuries to fellow safeties Darnell Savage, Vernon Scott, and Dallin Leavitt. Abernathy made the most of this opportunity by performing well in his first pre-season appearance against the New Orleans Saints, recording an interception and a tackle for a loss on a screen pass. The Packers welcomed him into the 53-man roster by August 30, 2022, as the fifth safety. Within a day, Abernathy was released, only to be signed to the practice squad two days later. His tenacity saw him transition from the practice squad to the active roster, making his NFL debut in week one of the regular season, and playing on six special teams snaps in a 7–23 loss to the Vikings.

Atlanta Falcons signed Abernathy from the Packers’ practice squad on December 31, 2022. Despite initially being waived in August 2023, Abernathy once again checked adversity and was re-signed to the practice squad, eventually finding his rightful place in the active roster on October 18, 2023. Micah Abernathy’s journey in the world of American football paints a picture of grit and determination, demonstrating that setbacks bring resilience and triumph is the product of hard work and perseverance.