Lorenzo Neal facts for kids
Neal in February 2008
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| Position: | Fullback | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 27, 1970 Hanford, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 255 lb (116 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Lemoore (Lemoore, California) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Fresno State (1989–1992) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1993 / Round: 4 / Pick: 89 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Lorenzo LaVonne Neal (born December 27, 1970) is a former American football player. He played as a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. Neal played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs. He was picked by the New Orleans Saints in the 1993 NFL Draft.
Neal was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times. He was also named an All-Pro three times. He played for many teams, including the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, and Oakland Raiders. Lorenzo Neal is known as one of the best blocking fullbacks in NFL history. He helped a running back gain over 1,000 yards in 11 seasons in a row.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Lorenzo Neal grew up in Lemoore, California. He went to Lemoore High School. There, he was a star in both football and wrestling. In football, he set many rushing records for the Lemoore Tigers. He even ran for over 2,000 yards in one season. In wrestling, he became a state champion in his senior year.
College Career at Fresno State
Neal first planned to go to the University of Arizona in 1989. However, he did not meet the academic requirements. He then enrolled at Fresno State University in August 1989. He played for the Fresno State Bulldogs football team until 1992.
During his college career, he ran for 2,405 yards. He was named an All-Big West player in his junior and senior years. He also continued wrestling in college. In 1992, he placed seventh at the NCAA wrestling tournament. This earned him All-American honors in the heavyweight class. Neal finished his college career as the second-leading rusher for his school. He also played in the Japan Bowl All-Star Game. While in Japan, he even won an exhibition match against a sumo wrestler! He earned a degree in criminal justice.
Professional Football Journey
Starting with the New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints drafted Lorenzo Neal in the fourth round of the 1993 NFL draft. He was the 89th player chosen overall. Neal started his NFL career as a halfback. In his first game, he ran for 89 yards. Just a week later, he got a season-ending ankle injury. His coaches then suggested he switch to fullback. This was a big change for his career.
In 1994, he set new personal bests for carries and rushing yards. In 1995, he caught a long 69-yard touchdown pass. In his last season with the Saints in 1996, he had career highs in receptions and receiving yards.
Moving to Other Teams
In 1997, Neal joined the New York Jets. He helped their running back, Adrian Murrell, rush for over 1,000 yards. The next year, in 1998, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There, he helped Warrick Dunn also gain over 1,000 rushing yards.
In 1999, Neal signed with the Tennessee Titans. He helped Eddie George rush for 1,304 yards. Neal was also part of the famous "Music City Miracle" play. He was the player who fielded the kick and handed it off to Frank Wycheck. The Titans made it to Super Bowl XXXIV but lost to the St. Louis Rams. In 2000, he helped Eddie George rush for 1,509 yards. Neal was named the "NFL's Best Blocking Fullback" by The Sporting News.
After two seasons with the Titans, Neal joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001. He helped Corey Dillon rush for over 1,300 yards in both 2001 and 2002. In 2002, he was selected for his first Pro Bowl.
Years with the San Diego Chargers
In 2003, Lorenzo Neal signed with the San Diego Chargers. This was his longest time with one team, lasting five seasons. He became a key blocker for star running back LaDainian Tomlinson. In his first season, he helped Tomlinson rush for 1,645 yards. Tomlinson was the fifth 1,000-yard rusher Neal had blocked for.
Neal continued to help Tomlinson achieve great success. In 2005, he played in his 200th career game. He was also named a Pro Bowl starter. In 2006, Neal helped Tomlinson have an amazing season. He blocked for Tomlinson as he scored many touchdowns and gained many yards. Neal was chosen for his third Pro Bowl and was named a first-team All-Pro.
In 2007, Neal's streak of 221 straight games played ended due to a broken leg. However, he still helped Tomlinson pass 1,000 rushing yards. This marked the 11th season in a row he blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher. He was selected for his fourth Pro Bowl and was again named first-team All-Pro.
Final NFL Seasons
In 2008, Neal signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He played in all 16 games, helping their running game and protecting rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. In 2009, he signed with the Oakland Raiders. He was later released due to an injury. In September 2009, Neal was named to The Sporting News Magazine's Team of the Decade for the 2000s.
Life After Football
Lorenzo Neal is married to Denisha. They have a son, Lorenzo Jr., and twin daughters, Nylya and Mia. Lorenzo Jr. also played college football for Purdue.
Neal has also worked in media. He co-hosted an NFL podcast called "Ray and Lorenzo." Later, he hosted a Chargers-focused podcast called "Bleav in Chargers." He also co-hosted a morning radio show on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco until 2020. He still appears as a guest host on the station.
Images for kids
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Neal in February 2008
