One of my favorite players. Class act...
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| Freeman McNeil |
Freeman
McNeil
(born
April 22, 1959 in Jackson, Mississippi)
Selected
by the New York Jets in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the
1981 NFL Draft.
After
leading Banning High School to the Los Angeles City
football title, the 5'11", 214 lbs. running
back attended UCLA, where he was a two time all Pac-10
selection. In his final game*, he caught a deflected pass from
quarterback Jay Schroeder that was tipped by USC defensive
back Jeff Fisher and went 57 yards for the winning
touchdown with two minutes left in the Bruins' 20-17 win.
McNeil
played in 12 NFL seasons for the Jets from 1981-1992. During the mid
to late 1980s he was a member of the Jets' "Two Headed Monster"
backfield along with teammate Johnny Hector, a tandem that
ranked among the league's elite. When he retired he was the Jets
all-time leading rusher with 8,074 yards; he was surpassed by Curtis
Martin and currently ranks second in Jets team history. In 1982,
McNeil led the NFL in rushing with 786 yards. He is one of
a few running backs in NFL history to average 4.0 yards per carry in
every season he played.
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| Freeman McNeil |
In
1990-1992 McNeil was the lead plaintiff in a case won by jury verdict
that struck down the NFL's Plan B free agency system, under which
teams could protect 37 players. McNeil and the seven other plaintiffs
were among the protected players listed by their teams. The system
was deemed too restrictive and a violation of antitrust laws.
However, Freeman was not one of the four plaintiffs awarded
damages.The suit is considered a major step in the achievement of
free agency rights by the Players Association.
In 2005,
he was inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.
Freeman currently lives in Huntington, NY on Long Island.
Pro
Bowls: 1982, 1984, 1985
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