Knights Under Lights: Michael Burton
In Knights Under Lights, The Daily Targum looks at athletes who distinguished themselves during their time on the Banks.
Michael Burton embodies what it means to play the fullback position. Fullbacks are often the most selfless and gritty players on a football team. While not receiving much praise for doing what they do, fullbacks show up repeatedly when their teams need them most, and that is precisely what Burton has done throughout his football career.
Before becoming primarily a lead-blocking fullback, Burton had quite the career running the ball himself at West Morris Central High School in Chester, New Jersey.
Burton set numerous school records in his time there, including single-season records in his senior year for accumulating 1,769 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns en route to a 2009 state championship title. He won the MVP award in the state title game for racking up 100 yards on the ground while recording a rushing touchdown, a passing touchdown and a punt return touchdown.
Despite Burton's immense high school success, he received no Division I offers. He decided to stay in the Garden State and walk on the Rutgers football team.
The decision was easy for Burton, as he saw the Scarlet Knights in his future all along.
"Even when I was in middle school, I wanted to go to Rutgers," Burton said in a 2023 interview.
Burton mentioned wanting to keep his "Jersey pride" and be able to hit the gridiron in front of his friends and family.
Upon arriving on the Banks, Burton redshirted his freshman year. Entering his redshirt freshman season in 2011, he made the switch from halfback to fullback during spring practices. Burton earned three starts during the season and scored his first career touchdown in a win over Army at Yankee Stadium.
Burton's strong season helped him earn a scholarship heading into his sophomore year. Unfortunately, his first season under scholarship was cut short when he suffered a season-ending leg injury after appearing in just four games.
Burton's junior season in 2013 was his biggest yet, as he played in all 13 games, starting in 10 of them. He caught two touchdowns on the year and had 210 scrimmage yards, all while being a dominant lead blocker for the Rutgers rushing attack.
His final year on the Banks saw much of the same success, as he appeared in 13 games yet again and was one of the offensive backbones at the fullback position.
He earned two awards at the team banquet following his senior season: the Paul Robeson Award and the Offensive Swarm and Finish award. The Paul Robeson is presented to an individual whose performance, leadership and dedication on and off the field throughout their career had the greatest impact among the team. As for the Offensive Swarm and Finish honor, it was the second straight year Burton had won it — it goes to the player who puts forth the consistent effort and intensity that fits the team's mantra to "swarm and finish."
Burton then took his talents to the highest level when the Detroit Lions drafted him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He spent two seasons with the Lions before bouncing around the league a bit, spending time with the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos, where he currently plays.
Knights fans will remember him best for his Super Bowl LVII win, where he played alongside fellow former Rutgers football star Isiah Pacheco in the Chiefs' backfield.
In true fullback fashion, many may not know the value Burton brought to the Knights or any of his NFL teams, but his impact is clear. The fullback position fades into the void more and more each year, with fewer and fewer teams using the position in their offensive game plans. This makes it that much more impressive that Burton is now in his 10th professional season and is still making rosters as a starting fullback.
Being 1 of just 18 former Rutgers players to win a Super Bowl, Burton's name is forever cemented in the program's history.
For more updates on Knights Under Lights, follow @TargumSports on X.
To view more of Camden Markel's work, follow @CamdenMarkel on X.
