Michael Quarshie
Encyclopedia
Michael Quarshie is a Finnish
American football
defensive tackle.
Michael was born in Germany in 1979. After living in Germany for six years and in Ghana
for a short period, his family moved to Finland
. He graduated from high school and completed his mandatory military service before moving to the U.S. to study and play football.
Member of the Finnish men’s national team, which captured silver at the 2001 European Championships. Member of the Finnish junior men’s national team, which captured the 1997 Nordic Championship. Played for Helsinki Roosters club, winning Finnish Maple (Championship) Bowl in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Undrafted after his senior season, he played for Frankfurt Galaxy
the following NFL Europe
season. Was one of eight (along with fellow Finn Klaus Alinen
) signed to NFL as an International Practice Squad member. Quarshie was able to practice with Raiders and play in pre-season games as an extra training squad member. Was signed the following year to Oakland Raiders
and played during the pre-season but spent the regular season on the Injured Reserve
list. Quarshie played in Finland for Porvoo Butchers during 2007 and signed as a free agent with the Toronto Argonauts
on February 15, 2008.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle.
Michael was born in Germany in 1979. After living in Germany for six years and in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
for a short period, his family moved to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. He graduated from high school and completed his mandatory military service before moving to the U.S. to study and play football.
Member of the Finnish men’s national team, which captured silver at the 2001 European Championships. Member of the Finnish junior men’s national team, which captured the 1997 Nordic Championship. Played for Helsinki Roosters club, winning Finnish Maple (Championship) Bowl in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Undrafted after his senior season, he played for Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
the following NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
season. Was one of eight (along with fellow Finn Klaus Alinen
Klaus Alinen
Klaus Alinen is a Finnish American football player who also played tight end for the Atlanta Falcons. After one year on the practice squad he received a contract and played throughout most of the 2006 pre-season. He was the first Finn to ever to sign a contract with an NFL football team...
) signed to NFL as an International Practice Squad member. Quarshie was able to practice with Raiders and play in pre-season games as an extra training squad member. Was signed the following year to Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and played during the pre-season but spent the regular season on the Injured Reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
list. Quarshie played in Finland for Porvoo Butchers during 2007 and signed as a free agent with the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
on February 15, 2008.