Nealon Greene facts for kids
Greene in his final regular season start against the BC Lions
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| Born: | April 13, 1976 Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
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| Career information | |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | QB |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| College | Clemson |
| Hand | Right |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1998 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1999–2001 | Edmonton Eskimos |
| 2002–2005 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 2006 | Montreal Alouettes |
| Records | CFL Record
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| Career stats | |
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Nealon Greene (born April 13, 1976) is a retired American football player. He played as a quarterback in the CFL for nine seasons. Greene played college football at Clemson University.
Contents
Early Life and College
Growing Up in New York
Nealon Greene was born in Yonkers, New York. When he finished high school, he was recruited to play football. A coach named Rich Bisaccia helped him join Clemson University. Bisaccia was also from Yonkers, and Greene knew him through his family.
Playing for Clemson
Greene played college football for Clemson. He became the school's all-time leader in passing yards. This means he threw for more yards than any other player in Clemson's history.
Professional Football Career
Starting with Toronto
In 1998, Greene began his professional career. He signed with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League.
Time with Edmonton
In 1999, Greene was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos. He joined his former coach, Don Matthews, who was now coaching in Edmonton. On July 16, Greene set a new CFL record. He rushed for 180 yards in one game, which was the most ever by a quarterback. That season, he also threw for over 300 yards in two different games.
Greene became the main starting quarterback for the Eskimos in 2000. The team finished in second place with a 10-8 record. He threw for over 300 yards in four games that year. In a playoff game, the Eskimos almost made a big comeback. They were down 31-14 but nearly won, losing 34-32. In 2001, Greene started six games. Another player, Jason Maas, eventually took over as the starting quarterback.
Playing for Saskatchewan
Joining the Roughriders
In 2002, Greene was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He started 15 games for the team. He rushed for over 100 yards in two games. In one game, he threw a 100-yard touchdown pass to Derick Armstrong. The Roughriders made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1997. They played against the Toronto Argonauts but lost 24-14.
Leading the Team to Success
In 2003, Greene started 16 games for Saskatchewan. He helped the team achieve a 10-6 record. This was their first winning season since 1994. They won their first playoff game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. However, they lost to the Edmonton Eskimos in the next round.
Facing Challenges and Injuries
The 2003 season was very successful, and fans were excited. But in the first game of the 2004 season, Greene broke his leg. This injury ended his season. The team had a tougher year without him.
Greene recovered and returned for the 2005 season. He was the starting quarterback again. The team started strong but then struggled. Greene was benched, and Marcus Crandell became the starter. Crandell led the team to five wins in a row. Near the end of the season, Greene started the last regular season game. He led the Roughriders to a victory. Even though they finished last in their division, they still made the playoffs. However, Greene did not play in the playoff game, and the team lost.
Final Season in Montreal
In 2006, Greene was traded to the Montreal Alouettes. He was reunited with coach Don Matthews again. Greene served as a backup quarterback to Anthony Calvillo. Even when Calvillo struggled, Greene was not given a chance to start a game. In February 2007, Greene was released by the Alouettes.
After retiring from professional football, Nealon Greene went back to Clemson University. He continued his education there.
