Freeman McNeil
Teams
New York Jets (1981-1992)
Playoffs
Appearances - 5 (1981,1982,1985,1986,1991)
Conf Champ Games - 1 (1982)
Super Bowls - 0
Championships - 0
Awards and Honors
All-Pro First Team - 1 (1982)
Pro Bowl - 3 (1982,1984,1985)
All-Time Ranks
Yards per Rush - #49
Rushing Yards - #53
Scrimmage Yards - #86
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#1-1982, #5-1985)
Rushing Touchdowns (#8-1982)
Yards per Rush (#1-1982, #6-1987, #7-1984)
Rushing Yards per Game (#3-1982, #4-1985, #5-1984, #8-1986)
Total Touchdowns (#9-1982)
Scrimmage Yards (#5-1982,1985)
Yards per Touch (#4-1982, #5-1989, #6-1990)
After consecutive seasons of over 1000 rushing yards at UCLA, and an average of more than 5 yards per carry in all 4 seasons, Freeman McNeil was drafted by the New York Jets with the #3 overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.
McNeil had a solid rookie season, gaining 623 yards on the ground, but it was in his second year that he really made his mark. The season was shortened to 9 games due to a strike, and McNeil led the league with 786 rushing yards, and also with an average of 5.2 yards per carry. He was great in the playoffs, with 202 yards and a touchdown in the wild card game, and 101 yards in the divisional round, before being held to 46 yards in the AFC Title Game. He made the All-Pro First Team for the only time in his career that season, and he was by far the best back in the league that year.
He missed half of the next season with injuries, and when he did get on the field, he only gained 4.1 yards per carry, far below his league-leading level in 1982. He came back strong in the next 2 seasons, gaining 1070 rushing yards in 1984 and 1331 in 1985, with 1758 scrimmage yards total in 1985. He made the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons, bringing his career total to 3.
McNeil remained the Jets starter for 3 more seasons, with varying levels of success. He had 944 rushing yards in 1988, after finishing with only 530 the year before. He stayed with the Jets for 4 more seasons, mostly in a backup role, and by the time he retired, he was the Jets all-time rushing leader, and he now sits behind only Curtis Martin on the franchise list.
McNeil didn't pile up big numbers in most seasons, but he was always efficient, gaining at least 4 yards per carry in all 12 of his NFL seasons. His 1982 season was completely dominant, and he nearly got the Jets to the Super Bowl, something that hasn't happened in over 50 years now. He's inside the top 50 all-time in yards per carry, and just outside the top 50 in rushing yards, but he maintained his solid play for so long that he belongs on this list of the all-time greats.
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