Freeman McNeil
Encyclopedia
Freeman McNeil is a former professional American football
player who was 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.
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
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was selected by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1st round (3rd overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft
1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
.
After leading Banning High School
Banning High School
Phineas Banning High School is located in the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States, and is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.- History :...
to the Los Angeles City football title, the 5'11", 214 lbs. running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
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
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...
that was tipped by USC defensive back Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher
Jeffrey Michael "Jeff" Fisher is the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He has a 146-120 career record as an NFL head coach.-Early life:...
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
Johnny Hector
Johnny Lyndell Hector , was a former professional American football player who was selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 200 lb. running back from Texas A&M, Hector played 10 NFL seasons for the New York Jets from 1983-1992...
, 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
Curtis Martin
Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...
and currently ranks second in Jets team history. In 1982, McNeil led the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
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.
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
Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame
The Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame honors elite athletes who have roots in Nassau County, New York. The Hall of Fame presentation takes places at the Nassau County Sports Commission "Salute to Champions" Awards Dinner annually every April.-Inductees:...
. Freeman currently lives in Huntington, NY on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.