Michael Strahan Giddy Over Former Adversary's Son Joining Giants

New York Giants legend Michael Strahan and former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jon Runyan faced twice a season for many years as division rivals. Although the two faced each other often, they were far from friends off the field.

That all changed at the 2002 Pro Bowl.

"We're hanging out by the pool, and there's this nice lady talking to me," Strahan told Michael Eisen for Giants.com. "She said, 'You should meet my husband.' There's just families hanging out.' And I'm like, 'Okay, I'll meet your husband.' Freaking Jon Runyan. It was his wife (Loretta). She set me up.

"I'd never had a conversation with him--never desired to," Strahan said. "We literally talked there, and from then on, I could play tough and hard against him, but I couldn't hate him. I had to channel something else besides thinking I had to hate the guy to play well against him because he's such a nice guy, such a good guy, and his wife was such a sweetheart."

That meeting changed Strahan's view of his biggest adversary.

"That changed my relationship with him in the sense that I saw him more as a human being rather than just some guy who I've got to beat down because I was offended that he thought he could stop me."

The two became friends, but Strahan explains how much off-the-field preparation it took for him to prepare for Runyan.

"They brought him to Philly to shut me down," Strahan said. "I don't know if they did that or not. I just took it that they did personally, and I did not like the guy. I studied for him as much or more than anybody I ever played against in my 15 years.

"This guy, he was tough, man. He was no pushover. He is a big human being. That's why having him at my Hall of Fame ceremony was special for me. It really was. I shouted him out, 6-7, 300-and-whatever I said, 300 pounds of twisted steel and no sex appeal. I gave that shoutout at the Hall of Fame."

The two rivals turned friends faced each other 14 times, with Strahan registering 16 sacks in 14 games against Runyan.

"I should've played against him every week," Strahan said with a chuckle.

With the Giants recently signing Runyan's son, Jon Runyan Jr, also an offensive lineman, the former Eagle now finds himself rooting for one of his former rivals.

Strahan is here for that.

"I'm so happy that Jon Jr. is playing for the Giants. One of my favorite things is knowing that Jon Runyan has to root for the Giants," Strahan said. "That was the first thing that came to my mind, 'Thank God, now Jon has to actually root for the Giants. This is going to be awesome.'

Strahan has fond memories of the younger Runyan, who signed a three-year deal with the Giants.

"I didn't know he would turn into a big kid and a player, but I remember having the kids around, absolutely. I remember at the Pro Bowl, he was at the swimming pool, you're at the hotel, and everybody's just with their families.

"We were pretty isolated, so guys spent time with each other and got to know each other and their families. I thank God for that because if it weren't for that, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to know Jon."