Antonio Donnell Armstrong was born October 15, 1973 to Kay Shorter and Don Wayne Armstrong. Antonio was a student-athlete and graduate of Kashmere Senior High School in 1991. He is the nephew of Kashmere High Alumnus, former NFL player and KFAA 2018 inductee, Harvey Armstrong. Antonio was a two time all district selection at linebacker, All City and All HISD. He recorded 18 quarterback sacks in the 1989 season as a junior. Antonio was like many other young men who did not have a father figure and his mom worked around the clock to provide for her family. He was fortunate as a kid to turn to sports instead of gangs or the streets.
Antonio received a full scholarship to Texas A&M in his junior year at Kashmere. He earned Defensive Player of the Game honors in the 1994 Cotton Bowl. Antonio earned AP All-America honors his senior year (1994) after making 62 tackles, including 17 behind the line of scrimmage as a senior. Which is remarkably amazing given the fact in his senior year he was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Antonio was also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award that year, and was a two-time All-SWC selection. Antonio was a former gridiron football linebacker. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, but fractured his ankle on the third day of training camp and was signed to the practice squad. On October 16, he was signed to the Miami Dolphins‘ practice squad and placed on the active roster a week later. Armstrong appeared in four games that season for the Dolphins and recorded four solo tackles. Antonio signed with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1998 and made an immediate impact as a starter for two seasons with the team. In 2000, Armstrong was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He was Winnipeg’s defensive player of the year and an East Division All-star in 2000. On October 15, 2000, Antonio eventually re-signed with the Bombers in September 2001 and started the 2001 Grey Cup game. He suffered a career ending fracture of his left ankle. Antonio went on to open his own personal training studio beginning initially in his apartment complex until he was able to have his own location of First Class Training Studios and then the expansion to an additional location.
Antonio was married to married to Dawn Armstrong they had three children: Josh, AJ, and Kayra. He also coached little league football in between his duties as a husband, father, entrepreneur and Assistant Pastor at Spirit and Life Kingdom Center where his mother is the Founder/Pastor. Antonio definitely would tell anyone that would listen how the prayer and the healing power of God healed him from the aneurism effects and scars and his doctor released him to play football again. It was nothing short of a miracle from God.
There is a book written by Rusty Burson and Cathy Capps called What It Means To Be An Aggie and on page 167 you will read about Antonio Armstrong Outside Linebacker 1991-1994.
Antonio starts off by saying “Of all the titles I’ve ever held in my life-ranging from All-America football player at Texas A&M to my current position as the owner of 1st Class Personal Training Studios in the Bellaire and Galleria areas of Houston, the ones I take most seriously are “husband “ and “father”.
Antonio goes further to say that: “My life is a testament to the fact that faith can move mountains and that the best way to start attacking any problems is through prayer. He had been through a lot, and could clearly see that God used those struggles and hardships to develop his character, his resolve, and his faith”.