Michael Strahan on How Good Morning America Is More 'Intimidating' Than Being in the NFL

For Michael Strahan, playing football is a walk in the park compared to co-hosting a national morning talk show.

While appearing on The Tonight Show Monday, the 49-year-old television host and former New York Giants player opened up to host Jimmy Fallon about the vast differences between co-hosting Good Morning America and playing football for the NFL.

When told by Fallon, 46, that he is "fantastic" at his role on the ABC morning talk show, Strahan said that joining GMA "was more intimidating than being in a locker room with the big old dudes walking in there."

"That is the hardest, most challenging job I've ever had," he continued of his co-hosting gig. "Football is challenging mentally and physically, but this — just the overall pressure of it, you feel it a lot more than I ever felt on a football field."

Strahan added: "It's really hard to explain, but it challenged me in ways I never expected because it's not something that I can say I aspired to do. But now I absolutely love it. I'm so comfortable there, I love the news ... I love everything that's involved with it."

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Prior to joining GMA, Strahan played in the NFL for 15 years for the New York Giants from 1993 to 2007.

Later in his chat on the late-night talk show, Strahan spoke with Fallon about the upcoming NFL draft and reflected on his own memories of the annual event.

Sharing that players "hope" they get drafted and what it is like to be in that position, Strahan said, "You're praying you can make enough money so you don't have to live with your parents anymore."

"But then, when you get drafted, it doesn't mean that you've made it," he continued. "And I think that's what a lot of young players get mixed up. They think, 'I got drafted, I made it' ... No, that's just your opportunity to be in the NFL."

"You haven't made it, that's when your work really starts. Because if you don't put in the work, you won't be there long," Strahan said.