Michael Crabtree
A wide receiver with velvety hands and a flair for the dramatic, known for his clutch college plays and a prolific NFL tenure.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American football player·Birthday: September 14·Millennials
Biography
Michael Crabtree arrived on the national stage with a moment of pure college football theater. As a redshirt freshman at Texas Tech in 2008, he caught a last-second touchdown pass against the top-ranked Texas Longhorns, then sprinted across the field in celebration, his mouthguard dangling—an image instantly etched into highlight reels. That play encapsulated Crabtree's early essence: a big-game receiver with preternatural body control and confidence. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award twice as the nation's best receiver, a rare feat. The San Francisco 49ers made him a top-10 pick, and he quickly became their primary target, forming a key part of the team's early-2010s resurgence that included a Super Bowl appearance. Though never a burner, Crabtree's route-running savvy and reliable hands made him a productive chain-mover for over a decade, most notably during a three-year stint with the Oakland Raiders where he revived his career as a red-zone threat.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Michael was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top college receiver in back-to-back seasons (2007, 2008).
- Caught the game-winning touchdown with one second left to defeat #1 Texas in 2008, a defining moment in college football history.
- Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in a season for both the San Francisco 49ers (2012) and the Oakland Raiders (2016).
- Started at wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens.
Did You Know?
He did not play organized football until his senior year of high school, focusing on basketball beforehand.
Crabtree famously played the entire 2011 NFL season with a torn Achilles tendon, an injury he suffered during a lockout workout.
He and cornerback Richard Sherman had a well-publicized on-field rivalry, culminating in a post-game confrontation after the 2013 NFC Championship.
In college, he often wore his mouthguard hanging out of his mouth during games, creating a signature look.
“I'm just trying to make a play for my team, man.”
