Lorenzo Neal
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo LaVonne Neal is an American football
fullback
who played in the NFL from 1993–2009. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Fresno State
.
A four-time Pro Bowl
selection and three-time All-Pro
selection, Neal has also been a member of the New York Jets
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, Tennessee Titans
, Cincinnati Bengals
, San Diego Chargers
, Baltimore Ravens
and Oakland Raiders
.
Considered one of the best blocking fullbacks in NFL history, Neal blocked for a 1,000+ yard running back in eleven straight seasons from 1997–2007.
in Lemoore, California
and was a letterman in football
and wrestling
. He set many rushing records with over 2,000 yards in rushing in a season, which would later be broken by Nick Sula. In wrestling, he won a state championship as a senior
.
in the 275 lb (124.7 kg). heavyweight class. Neal finished career as school’s second-leading rusher with 2,405 yards and played in the Japan Bowl All-Star Game. He defeated a sumo wrestler in an exhibition match in Japan during the Japan Bowl. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
by the New Orleans Saints
.
Neal, as a Halfback
made his NFL debut on September 5, against the Houston Oilers and led the team in rushing with 13 carries for 89 yards, it was his first of two starts as a rookie
. Just seven days later, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury during a road game against the Atlanta Falcons
. Then on September 15, he was placed on Injured Reserve
, ending his season. He was later told he would not be able to run as he had before, so his coaches proposed the idea that he be switched to fullback.
Then in 1994
, he set career high with 30 carries for 90 yards and one touchdown
. In 1995
, he caught a career-long 69-yard touchdown pass during a road game against the New England Patriots
on December 3. In 1996
, he set career highs with 31 receptions for 194 receiving yards in his last season with the Saints.
, Neal signed with the New York Jets
, on March 31. In his lone season with the team, he helped running back Adrian Murrell
rush for 1,086 yards.
, Neal was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
for a fifth-round pick. In his season in Tampa Bay, he helped Warrick Dunn
rush for 1,026 yards. He was then released by the Buccaneers on February 11, 1999.
, Neal signed with the Tennessee Titans
. Where during his first season with the team, he helped Eddie George
rush for 1,304 yards in the regular season, and two 100-yard games in the playoffs. Neal also helped run the "Music City Miracle
," against the Buffalo Bills
en route to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV
against the St. Louis Rams
. He was also selected to USA Today
’s All-Joe team.
In 2000
, Neal helped George rush for 1,509 yards and 14 touchdowns. Neal was named the "NFL's Best Blocking Fullback" by Sporting News. He was also named to Sports Illustrated
s midseason All-Pro team. He was also named a Pro Bowl
third-alternate. He was released by the Titans on March 1, 2001.
appearance, Neal signed with the Cincinnati Bengals
on May 8, 2001, where in his first season with the team, he helped Corey Dillon
rush for 1,315 yards. After the season Neal was named to USA Today's All-Joe team. He was also selected as a Pro Bowl Second-alternate.
In 2002
, Neal helped Dillon rush for 1,311 yards. He also recorded a one-yard touchdown receptions, against his former team, the Tennessee Titans on October 27. He also was selected to his first Pro Bowl
.
, Neal signed with the San Diego Chargers
and began the longest stint of his career, with one team, five seasons. During his first season blocking for LaDainian Tomlinson
, he helped him rush for 1,645 yards and the team to rush for a total of 2,146 yards. Tomlinson became Neal's fifth 1,000 yard rusher he blocked for. He scored his first touchdown of the season on a three-yard run on the road against the Oakland Raiders
on September 28. He also carried the ball three times for seven yards in short yardage situations against the Baltimore Ravens
on September 21, all three of which resulted in first downs. He recorded a season-high seven carries for 22 yards on the road against the Cleveland Browns
on October 19. For the season, he was named to USA Todays All-Joe team, as well as a Pro Bowl First-alternate.
In 2004
, Neal helped Tomlinson rush for 1,335 yards and the Chargers rush for 2,185 yards as total. Neal also recorded a 12-yard kickoff return against his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
on December 12. He was also named Chargers Alumni Player of Week after rushing four times for season-high 16 yards on the road against the Browns on December 19. He was, once again, named to USA Todays All-Joe team. He was also, named a Pro Bowl first-alternate, once again.
The 2005
season began with an historic moment in Neal's career, he played in his 100th career game, in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys
. A game in which he recorded three carries on short yardage plays, all resulting in first downs. For the season he was named a Pro Bowl
starter. He was also named to the "All-Interview" team by NFL.com. On October 28, 2005, he signed a two-year contract extension through 2007.
In 2006
, Neal helped Tomlinson and Michael Turner record 194-rushing yards for the September 11 season opening 27–0 win in Oakland. The Chargers scored two rushing touchdowns, one by Tomlinson and one by Turner. Neal helped block for a 241-rushing yard performance against the Titans in a 40–7 Week 2 win, which included two Tomlinson rushing touchdowns. On October 15, during a road game against the San Francisco 49ers
, Neal helped Tomlinson tie a team record and set a career-high with four rushing touchdowns. In the Chargers 35–27 win over the Browns on November 5, Neal played in his 200th-consecutive game and helped the Chargers rush for 190 yards and three touchdowns. During November 19 35–27 Chargers win, he helped Tomlinson rush for 105 yards and three touchdowns, which put Tomlinson over 1,000 yards for season, marking the 10th-straight year Neal was the lead blocker for a 1,000-yard rusher. He scored his first touchdown of the season against the Denver Broncos
on December 10, on four-yard trick play run called the “Bumarooski” late in first quarter, it was his first rushing touchdown since September 28, 2003 at Oakland and gave the Chargers a 14–0 lead. He also threw a key block on Kansas City Chiefs
Linebacker
Kendrell Bell
that helped Tomlinson run for a career-long 85-yard touchdown on December 17, it was the third-longest run in team history. Neal also helped contribute to the Chargers recording 265 rushing yards, fifth-most in team history. He was named to his third Pro Bowl
and was a First-team All-Pro selection by the Associated Press
, USA Today
, Sports Weekly
and ESPN.com
.
In 2007
, Neal had his streak of 221 consecutive games played come to an end when he was inactive for Week 14 against the Detroit Lions
, while he recovered from a broken leg
suffered the previous week against the Titans; he had not missed a game since 1994. Against the Chiefs, he helped Tomlinson surpass 1,000 yards, marking the 11th-straight season as the lead blocker for a 1,000 yard rusher. Neal recorded a touchdown reception on a fourth-and-goal play in Week 2 on the road against the New England Patriots
, (his first touchdown reception since 2005). He was named to his fourth Pro Bowl
and was named First-team All-Pro by the Associated Press and All-NFL by USA Today and Sports Weekly. On February 28, 2008 Neal was waived by San Diego.
signed Neal to a one year contract.
Neal played in his first game with the Ravens Week one against the Bengals, when he served as the back-up to Le'Ron McClain
and helped the Ravens rush for 229 yards and recorded one reception for 13 yards. During Week 2, he carried the ball once for two yards and helped the Ravens hold the ball for 13:18 in the fourth quarter against the Browns. During Week 5, on the road against the Indianapolis Colts
he subbed for McClain and helped protect rookie
Quarterback
Joe Flacco
, allowing him to set career-highs with a 73.7% completion and 241 passing yards. During Week 8 in Cleveland, Neal subbed for McClain and helped the Ravens rush for a season high 193 yards in the 37–27 victory. He also carried the ball once for two yards. In Week 10 (at the New York Giants
), Neal started his first game as a Raven and helped protect Joe Flacco, allowing him to complete 60.6% of his passes and holding the Giants to just one sack.
on May 8, 2009. He was waived/injured on August 19 to make room for safety Rashad Baker
and subsequently reverted to injured reserve
. He was released with an injury settlement on August 26. He was expected to push Oren O'Neal
and Luke Lawton
for the starting fullback job.
In September 2009, Neal was selected to the Sporting News Magazines Team of the Decade for the 2000s.
He spent the rest of the 2009–10 season out of football.
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...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
who played in the NFL from 1993–2009. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 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 25-26, 1993...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
.
A four-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection and three-time All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
selection, Neal has also been a member of 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...
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Considered one of the best blocking fullbacks in NFL history, Neal blocked for a 1,000+ yard running back in eleven straight seasons from 1997–2007.
Early years
Neal attended Lemoore High SchoolLemoore High School
Lemoore High School is a public school located in Lemoore, California. It serves grades 9 through 12, and is accredited through the California Department of Education to grant High School Diplomas to students who successfully complete the requisite amount and type of units as well as pass the...
in Lemoore, California
Lemoore, California
Lemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and was a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
. He set many rushing records with over 2,000 yards in rushing in a season, which would later be broken by Nick Sula. In wrestling, he won a state championship as a senior
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
.
College career
Neal attended Fresno State University from 1989–1992, where he rushed for 2,405 yards. He was an All-Big West selection his junior and senior seasons. He also placed seventh at the 1992 NCAA wrestling tournamentNCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
in the 275 lb (124.7 kg). heavyweight class. Neal finished career as school’s second-leading rusher with 2,405 yards and played in the Japan Bowl All-Star Game. He defeated a sumo wrestler in an exhibition match in Japan during the Japan Bowl. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice.
New Orleans Saints
Neal was selected in the fourth round (89th overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 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 25-26, 1993...
by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
.
Neal, as a Halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
made his NFL debut on September 5, against the Houston Oilers and led the team in rushing with 13 carries for 89 yards, it was his first of two starts as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
. Just seven days later, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury during a road game against the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Then on September 15, he was placed on Injured Reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
, ending his season. He was later told he would not be able to run as he had before, so his coaches proposed the idea that he be switched to fullback.
Then in 1994
1994 New Orleans Saints season
The 1994 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 28th as a member of the National Football League. They were unable to match their previous season's output of 8–8, winning only seven games. The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight year.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...
, he set career high with 30 carries for 90 yards and one touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. In 1995
1995 New Orleans Saints season
The 1995 New Orleans Saints season was the Saints 29th season in the NFL.-Staff:-Schedule:-Awards and records:*Jim Everett, Franchise Record, Most Passing Yards in One Season, 3,970 yards...
, he caught a career-long 69-yard touchdown pass during a road game against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on December 3. In 1996
1996 New Orleans Saints season
The 1996 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 30th as a member of the National Football League. They were unable to match their previous season's output of 7–9, winning only three games. The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...
, he set career highs with 31 receptions for 194 receiving yards in his last season with the Saints.
New York Jets
In 19971997 New York Jets season
The 1997 New York Jets season began with the team trying to improve upon its league-worst and franchise-worst 1–15 record from 1996. Sparked by the arrival of head coach Bill Parcells, who replaced Rich Kotite, and was coming off a Super Bowl berth the previous season, the Jets improved to 9–7, but...
, Neal signed with 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...
, on March 31. In his lone season with the team, he helped running back Adrian Murrell
Adrian Murrell
Adrian Byran Murrell is a former professional American football running back who was drafted by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft after playing collegiately for the West Virginia Mountaineers...
rush for 1,086 yards.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On March 12, 19981998 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1998 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was seen as a disappointment following their breakthrough 1997 season. It was their first season in Raymond James Stadium. They were the only team to beat the Minnesota Vikings during the regular season. In week 16 they recorded the biggest road win in their...
, Neal was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
for a fifth-round pick. In his season in Tampa Bay, he helped Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
rush for 1,026 yards. He was then released by the Buccaneers on February 11, 1999.
Tennessee Titans
On March 23, 19991999 Tennessee Titans season
The 1999 Tennessee Titans season was the Titans' 40th season and their 30th in the National Football League. It was the first season for the club under the moniker "Titans," while the nickname "Oilers" was retired by the NFL...
, Neal signed with the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. Where during his first season with the team, he helped Eddie George
Eddie George
Edward Nathan "Eddie" George, Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys...
rush for 1,304 yards in the regular season, and two 100-yard games in the playoffs. Neal also helped run the "Music City Miracle
Music City Miracle
The Music City Miracle is the name commonly given to a play that took place on January 8, 2000 during the National Football League's 1999–2000 playoffs...
," against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
en route to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
against the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. He was also selected to USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
’s All-Joe team.
In 2000
2000 Tennessee Titans season
The 2000 Tennessee Titans season was the Titans' 41st season and their 31st in the National Football League.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:-AFC Divisional Playoff:...
, Neal helped George rush for 1,509 yards and 14 touchdowns. Neal was named the "NFL's Best Blocking Fullback" by Sporting News. He was also named to Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
s midseason All-Pro team. He was also named a Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
third-alternate. He was released by the Titans on March 1, 2001.
Cincinnati Bengals
After two seasons with the Titans, and one Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance, Neal signed with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on May 8, 2001, where in his first season with the team, he helped Corey Dillon
Corey Dillon
Corey James Dillon is a former American football running back. He played his ten-season career for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots, wearing jersey number 28 for both teams. Dillon played college football the University of Washington where he wore the number 4.-High school...
rush for 1,315 yards. After the season Neal was named to USA Today's All-Joe team. He was also selected as a Pro Bowl Second-alternate.
In 2002
2002 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2002 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 35th year in professional football and its 33rd with the National Football League. With a record of 2–14, however, they were the worst team in football in 2002. This resulted in the Bengals firing Dick LeBeau and replacing him with Marvin Lewis...
, Neal helped Dillon rush for 1,311 yards. He also recorded a one-yard touchdown receptions, against his former team, the Tennessee Titans on October 27. He also was selected to his first Pro Bowl
2003 Pro Bowl
The 2003 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 2003 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
.
San Diego Chargers
On March 3, 20032003 San Diego Chargers season
The 2003 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 8–8 record in 2002. They finished the campaign 4th in their division and earned the #1 pick in the 2004 NFL draft...
, Neal signed with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and began the longest stint of his career, with one team, five seasons. During his first season blocking for LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
, he helped him rush for 1,645 yards and the team to rush for a total of 2,146 yards. Tomlinson became Neal's fifth 1,000 yard rusher he blocked for. He scored his first touchdown of the season on a three-yard run on the road against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 28. He also carried the ball three times for seven yards in short yardage situations against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on September 21, all three of which resulted in first downs. He recorded a season-high seven carries for 22 yards on the road against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 19. For the season, he was named to USA Todays All-Joe team, as well as a Pro Bowl First-alternate.
In 2004
2004 San Diego Chargers season
The 2004 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2003. They finished the campaign 1st in their division and made the playoffs for the first time in nine years. In the playoffs they lost in overtime to the New York Jets...
, Neal helped Tomlinson rush for 1,335 yards and the Chargers rush for 2,185 yards as total. Neal also recorded a 12-yard kickoff return against his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
on December 12. He was also named Chargers Alumni Player of Week after rushing four times for season-high 16 yards on the road against the Browns on December 19. He was, once again, named to USA Todays All-Joe team. He was also, named a Pro Bowl first-alternate, once again.
The 2005
2005 San Diego Chargers season
The 2005 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 12–4 record in 2004. They finished the campaign 3rd in their division and as a result missed out on the playoffs. Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman was named rookie of the Year at the end of the season.-NFL...
season began with an historic moment in Neal's career, he played in his 100th career game, in the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. A game in which he recorded three carries on short yardage plays, all resulting in first downs. For the season he was named a Pro Bowl
2006 Pro Bowl
The 2006 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 12, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. It marked the 27th consecutive time that the National Football League's all-star game was held in Honolulu...
starter. He was also named to the "All-Interview" team by NFL.com. On October 28, 2005, he signed a two-year contract extension through 2007.
In 2006
2006 San Diego Chargers season
The 2006 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. They finished the campaign as the #1 seed in the AFC ending the season at 14–2, best record in the NFL...
, Neal helped Tomlinson and Michael Turner record 194-rushing yards for the September 11 season opening 27–0 win in Oakland. The Chargers scored two rushing touchdowns, one by Tomlinson and one by Turner. Neal helped block for a 241-rushing yard performance against the Titans in a 40–7 Week 2 win, which included two Tomlinson rushing touchdowns. On October 15, during a road game against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Neal helped Tomlinson tie a team record and set a career-high with four rushing touchdowns. In the Chargers 35–27 win over the Browns on November 5, Neal played in his 200th-consecutive game and helped the Chargers rush for 190 yards and three touchdowns. During November 19 35–27 Chargers win, he helped Tomlinson rush for 105 yards and three touchdowns, which put Tomlinson over 1,000 yards for season, marking the 10th-straight year Neal was the lead blocker for a 1,000-yard rusher. He scored his first touchdown of the season against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 10, on four-yard trick play run called the “Bumarooski” late in first quarter, it was his first rushing touchdown since September 28, 2003 at Oakland and gave the Chargers a 14–0 lead. He also threw a key block on Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
Linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Kendrell Bell
Kendrell Bell
Kendrell Alexander Bell is a former American football linebacker. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...
that helped Tomlinson run for a career-long 85-yard touchdown on December 17, it was the third-longest run in team history. Neal also helped contribute to the Chargers recording 265 rushing yards, fifth-most in team history. He was named to his third Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
and was a First-team All-Pro selection by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Sports Weekly
Sports Weekly
USA Today Sports Weekly is a weekly magazine that covers Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, NCAA baseball and the National Football League. In the February 15, 2006 issue, the magazine added coverage of NASCAR...
and ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
.
In 2007
2007 San Diego Chargers season
The 2007 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to equal their 2006 regular season success and avoid another early departure in the playoffs. After a disappointing start under new head coach Norv Turner , they finished the regular season strong, with six straight wins, an overall...
, Neal had his streak of 221 consecutive games played come to an end when he was inactive for Week 14 against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, while he recovered from a broken leg
Broken Leg
Broken Leg is an indie rock song written and recorded by Australian indie rock band Bluejuice. The song was voted no. 5 in the 2009 Triple J Hottest 100. The accompanying music video was voted in at no. 1 on Rage's RAGE FIFTY countdown that was voted for by viewers and shown on the last weekend of...
suffered the previous week against the Titans; he had not missed a game since 1994. Against the Chiefs, he helped Tomlinson surpass 1,000 yards, marking the 11th-straight season as the lead blocker for a 1,000 yard rusher. Neal recorded a touchdown reception on a fourth-and-goal play in Week 2 on the road against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, (his first touchdown reception since 2005). He was named to his fourth Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
and was named First-team All-Pro by the Associated Press and All-NFL by USA Today and Sports Weekly. On February 28, 2008 Neal was waived by San Diego.
Baltimore Ravens
On August 12, 2008 the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
signed Neal to a one year contract.
Neal played in his first game with the Ravens Week one against the Bengals, when he served as the back-up to Le'Ron McClain
Le'Ron McClain
- Baltimore Ravens :McClain signed with the Ravens on July 27, 2007. He scored his first career touchdown on a Kyle Boller pass against the San Diego Chargers on November 25, 2007...
and helped the Ravens rush for 229 yards and recorded one reception for 13 yards. During Week 2, he carried the ball once for two yards and helped the Ravens hold the ball for 13:18 in the fourth quarter against the Browns. During Week 5, on the road against the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
he subbed for McClain and helped protect rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
Quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
, allowing him to set career-highs with a 73.7% completion and 241 passing yards. During Week 8 in Cleveland, Neal subbed for McClain and helped the Ravens rush for a season high 193 yards in the 37–27 victory. He also carried the ball once for two yards. In Week 10 (at the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
), Neal started his first game as a Raven and helped protect Joe Flacco, allowing him to complete 60.6% of his passes and holding the Giants to just one sack.
Oakland Raiders
Neal was signed by the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on May 8, 2009. He was waived/injured on August 19 to make room for safety Rashad Baker
Rashad Baker
Rashad Steward Baker is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as a undrafted free agent in 2004...
and subsequently reverted to injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. He was released with an injury settlement on August 26. He was expected to push Oren O'Neal
Oren O'Neal
Orenthal O'Neal is a current American football fullback of the National Football League who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft....
and Luke Lawton
Luke Lawton
Richard Luke Lawton is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
for the starting fullback job.
In September 2009, Neal was selected to the Sporting News Magazines Team of the Decade for the 2000s.
He spent the rest of the 2009–10 season out of football.