Stephen Neal
Encyclopedia
Stephen Matthew Neal is a former American football
guard
who played his entire career for the New England Patriots
of the National Football League
. He is a former national champion amateur and collegiate wrestler at Cal State-Bakersfield. He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2001, and won three Super Bowl ring
s with the team.
in San Diego, California
and was a letterman
in football, wrestling
, swimming
, tennis
, and track and field
. In wrestling, as a senior, he posted a 45–2 record and placed fourth at the California State Wrestling Tournament in the 189-pound weight class. In 1998, he wrestled and defeated future NFL running back
Ricky Williams
.
and became one of the top wrestlers
in the nation, compiling a 151–10 record with four All-America
n seasons. He placed fourth in NCAA Division I as a freshman and second as a sophomore before winning titles his junior and senior year. His final title in 1999 came via a win over future NCAA wrestling champion, WWE
Champion, and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar
. In 1999, Neal won the Dan Hodge
Award following a year in which he won the U.S. Freestyle
Championship, the Pan-American Games title and the World Championship. at 286 pounds. In 1999, he won the FILA
outstanding wrestler award, an honor given to the best wrestler in the world. His 1999 season led up to the 2000 Summer Olympics
trials where Kerry McCoy
edged him for the trip to Sydney, Australia. After the trials, Neal retired from wrestling.
Neal set Pac-10 Conference records by finishing 34–0 in conference competition, while becoming the conference's first four-time winner in the same weight class, and second four-time winner ever. He finished his college career as Cal State-Bakersfield's career record holder in wins (156) and also set school records for pins in a season (31) and a career (71).
While at Cal State-Bakersfield, Neal was a four-time Academic All-America
n and a four-time Pac-10 Academic All-Conference selection.
During a March 30, 2011 interview on SiriusXM Opie & Anthony, Brock Lesnar
said that his loss to Neal still sticks with him.
on July 23, 2001 as an undrafted free agent. He was waived by the Patriots on August 26, 2001.
signed Neal to their practice squad on September 4, 2001.
rookie season, as well as the playoffs and Super Bowl XXXVI
.
In 2002
, Neal made the Patriots' 53-man roster out of training camp
and spent the first four games of the season inactive before making his NFL debut as a reserve in Week 5. The next week against the Green Bay Packers
, Neal made his first career start at guard, but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the game and was placed on injured reserve
on October 23, 2002. The shoulder injury caused Neal to miss the entire 2003
as well, after being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform
(PUP) list to start the season.
After playing in two games as a reserve to start the 2004
season, Neal went on to start the final 14 games of the season, earning his third Super Bowl ring
with the team by winning Super Bowl XXXIX
. Neal started all 16 games for the Patriots in 2005
, and re-signed with the team after testing the free agent
market following the season.
Neal started 13 games in 2006
at right guard, missing three games with a shoulder injury. He would return in 2007
to play and start in only eight games due to injury, but started all three playoff games, including Super Bowl XLII
.
After beginning the 2008
season on the PUP list with a shoulder injury, Neal returned to play in the final 11 games of the season, starting the final nine games. In 2009
, Neal missed time with the shoulder injury again, but played in and started 12 games.
In March 2010, Neal was re-signed to a two-year contract. Neal then played in the first eight games of the 2010
season before being placed on injured reserve with the shoulder injury on December 2, 2010.
Neal retired on March 2, 2011 after filing his retirement papers with the league.
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...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
who played his entire career for 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...
of the National Football League
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...
. He is a former national champion amateur and collegiate wrestler at Cal State-Bakersfield. He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2001, and won three Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s with the team.
Early years
Neal attended San Diego High SchoolSan Diego High School
San Diego High School is an urban public educational complex comprising six small schools located on the southern edge of Balboa Park, in San Diego, California. It is part of the San Diego Unified School District. It is the oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District and one of the...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
and was a letterman
Letterman
A letterman, in U.S. sports, performing arts or academics, is a high school or college student who has met a specified level of participation or performance on a varsity athletic team, marching band, or in other performance school-sponsored activities....
in football, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. In wrestling, as a senior, he posted a 45–2 record and placed fourth at the California State Wrestling Tournament in the 189-pound weight class. In 1998, he wrestled and defeated future NFL 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...
Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
.
Wrestling career
Neal attended California State University, BakersfieldCalifornia State University, Bakersfield
California State University, Bakersfield is a public university located in Bakersfield, California, United States which was founded in 1965. CSUB opened in 1970 on a campus, becoming the 19th school in the California State University system...
and became one of the top wrestlers
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
in the nation, compiling a 151–10 record with four All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n seasons. He placed fourth in NCAA Division I as a freshman and second as a sophomore before winning titles his junior and senior year. His final title in 1999 came via a win over future NCAA wrestling champion, WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
Champion, and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
. In 1999, Neal won the Dan Hodge
Danny Hodge
Daniel "Danny" Allen Hodge is a retired American wrestler and boxer. He is renowned for his wrestling career, both amateur and professional, and has also been a boxer. Hodge was born, grew up, and still lives in Perry, Oklahoma...
Award following a year in which he won the U.S. Freestyle
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
Championship, the Pan-American Games title and the World Championship. at 286 pounds. In 1999, he won the FILA
Fila
Fila or FILA may refer to:*Fila , a South Korean sportswear manufacturer* Fila , an island of Vanuatu*Fila, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province...
outstanding wrestler award, an honor given to the best wrestler in the world. His 1999 season led up to the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
trials where Kerry McCoy
Kerry McCoy
Kerry R. McCoy is an American amateur wrestler. He is a two-time Olympian, a four-time World Cup Championship and three NCAA All-American...
edged him for the trip to Sydney, Australia. After the trials, Neal retired from wrestling.
Neal set Pac-10 Conference records by finishing 34–0 in conference competition, while becoming the conference's first four-time winner in the same weight class, and second four-time winner ever. He finished his college career as Cal State-Bakersfield's career record holder in wins (156) and also set school records for pins in a season (31) and a career (71).
While at Cal State-Bakersfield, Neal was a four-time Academic All-America
Academic All-America
Academic All-America program is a student-athlete recognition program...
n and a four-time Pac-10 Academic All-Conference selection.
During a March 30, 2011 interview on SiriusXM Opie & Anthony, Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
said that his loss to Neal still sticks with him.
First stint with Patriots
Despite not playing football in college, Neal was signed by the New England PatriotsNew 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 July 23, 2001 as an undrafted free agent. He was waived by the Patriots on August 26, 2001.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
signed Neal to their practice squad on September 4, 2001.
Second stint with Patriots
The Patriots re-signed Neal off the Eagles' practice squad on December 12, 2001, and he was inactive for the final three games of his 20012001 New England Patriots season
The 2001 New England Patriots season was the 32nd season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. They finished with an 11–5 record and a division title before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVI....
rookie season, as well as the playoffs and Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
.
In 2002
2002 New England Patriots season
The 2002 New England Patriots season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League and 43rd season overall. They finished with a 9–7 record, good enough for second in the division but not a playoff berth....
, Neal made the Patriots' 53-man roster out of training camp
Training camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
and spent the first four games of the season inactive before making his NFL debut as a reserve in Week 5. The next week against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, Neal made his first career start at guard, but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the game and 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...
on October 23, 2002. The shoulder injury caused Neal to miss the entire 2003
2003 New England Patriots season
The 2003 New England Patriots season was the 34th season for the team in the National Football League and 44th season overall. They finished with a league-best 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXVIII....
as well, after being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform
Physically Unable to Perform
Players can be labeled Physically Unable to Perform in the National Football League if they suffer from football-related injuries during the preseason...
(PUP) list to start the season.
After playing in two games as a reserve to start the 2004
2004 New England Patriots season
The 2004 New England Patriots season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League and 45th season overall. They finished with their second straight 14–2 record before advancing to and winning Super Bowl XXXIX, their third Super Bowl victory in four years.Following a Super Bowl...
season, Neal went on to start the final 14 games of the season, earning his third Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the team by winning Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
. Neal started all 16 games for the Patriots in 2005
2005 New England Patriots season
The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos....
, and re-signed with the team after testing the free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
market following the season.
Neal started 13 games in 2006
2006 New England Patriots season
The 2006 New England Patriots season was the 37th season for the team in the National Football League and 47th season overall. They finished with a 12–4 record and a division title before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs....
at right guard, missing three games with a shoulder injury. He would return in 2007
2007 New England Patriots season
The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
to play and start in only eight games due to injury, but started all three playoff games, including Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
.
After beginning the 2008
2008 New England Patriots season
The 2008 New England Patriots season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and 49th season overall. Despite finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record, the Patriots did not qualify for the playoffs—becoming the first 11-win team since the expansion to a 12-team...
season on the PUP list with a shoulder injury, Neal returned to play in the final 11 games of the season, starting the final nine games. In 2009
2009 New England Patriots season
The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
, Neal missed time with the shoulder injury again, but played in and started 12 games.
In March 2010, Neal was re-signed to a two-year contract. Neal then played in the first eight games of the 2010
2010 New England Patriots season
The 2010 New England Patriots season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League and 51st season overall. The Patriots improved on their 10–6 record from 2009 by finishing with a league-best 14–2 record and clinching the top seed in the AFC, before losing to the New York Jets...
season before being placed on injured reserve with the shoulder injury on December 2, 2010.
Neal retired on March 2, 2011 after filing his retirement papers with the league.