Flint Central, 1993
2026 Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: Football
Michael “Big Mike” Fordham was born and raised in Flint and is a proud graduate of Flint Central High School. This is where his passion for sports, especially football, began to grow. While at Central, Michael played basketball, track & field and football. In track & field, Fordham won Flint city and Saginaw Valley titles, both with the team and individually for the shot put and discus events. On the football field, Fordham played varsity for three years and excelled on both the offensive and defensive lines. Fordham helped lead his team to the city championship during his sophomore and junior seasons. The team won a share of the title in his senior year.
As a junior, Fordham made a lasting impact on defense with 65 tackles and three sacks. He continued to improve as a senior with 75 tackles and four sacks, all while only playing in six games that season because of an injury. Fordham terrorized opposing teams, earning him first-team All-Valley and All-State honors in 1991 and 1992. Going into his senior season, he was named a Pre-Season All-American and finished that season with a selection for the Michigan High School All-Star Game. Fordham is considered by many to be one of the best defensive lineman to ever play football in the Flint area. With those accomplishments, it was easy to see why Fordham was selected as Central’s Most Valuable Player in his senior season, all while maintaining a 3.4 grade point average.
Fordham’s accomplishments at Central helped earn him a scholarship to the University of Illinois where continued to excel on and off the field. While at Illinois, he was named scout team player of the year. Team highlights from his time as a Fighting Illini include a win in the Big House against Michigan in 1993, and participating in and winning the Liberty Bowl in 1994. Fordham then went through a series of what would be football career ending surgeries due to two torn ACL’s and a shoulder injury.
After his playing career, Fordham continued contributing to football in the City of Flint by coaching at Central, Northern, Northwestern, Southwestern and Hamady high schools. Fordham continued to give back to his community working as an After School Director and Community School Director with the United Way, Crim Fitness Foundation and several other community-based organizations.
Michael Fordham, you are the true definition of being “Flint Strong”! You have made Flint proud, welcome to the GFAASHOF!
