Michael Strahan left the tackling to ABC's security team Tuesday when an apparent crazed fan, who was brandishing a knife, tried to muscle his way into the Good Morning America studio in Manhattan's Times Square.
A 25-year-old man named Andre Johnson attempted to enter the studio — apparently in hopes of finding the gap-toothed GMA personality — at about 8 a.m. and was quickly confronted by an off-duty police officer doing security for the show, The Insider With Yahoo confirmed with an NYPD spokesperson. The man then pulled out a knife and tried to stab the officer, but was quickly subdued and taken into custody.
While in police custody, Johnson said that he was trying to get into the studio to "kill Michael Strahan." The man has been charged with felony attempted assault, menacing, and criminal possession of a weapon.
As for Strahan, the 42-year-old former NFL star, who also appears on Live With Kelly and Michael, was never in peril.
"There was an incident in Times Square, an individual lunged at one of our employees and was heroically tackled by a police officer," a statement for ABC said. "We understand the man was taken in for psychiatric evaluation. It was a scary situation but thanks to the fast actions of NYPD the situation was quickly under control. Michael was never in any danger."
A studio source added that the whole incident happened so quickly that most of the GMA fans gathered outside "didn't realize it happened" and none of them were in danger either. As for Michael, he was not even made aware of the incident until some time in the afternoon.
Strahan, who played football for the New York Giants for 15 years before becoming a morning TV fixture, will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 2.
