Lorenzo Neal

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Lorenzo Neal

Date of birth	December 27, 1970
Place of birth	Hanford, California
Position(s)	Fullback
College	Fresno State
NFL Draft	1993 / Round 4 / 89th Overall
Pro Bowls	2002 2006
Team(s)
1993-1996 1997 1998 1999-2000 2001-2002 2003-present	New Orleans Saints New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Cincinnati Bengals San Diego Chargers

Lorenzo Neal (born December 27, 1970 in Hanford, California) is a Pro Bowl fullback in the National Football League. He played for Lemoore High School in Central California and Fresno State University. He was selected in the 1993 NFL Draft in the fourth round (89th overall) by the New Orleans Saints. Neal currently plays in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers. He has blocked for 1,000 yard rushers for 10 years in a row through 2006, first for Adrian Murrell of the New York Jets, then for Eddie George of the Tennessee Titans and then for Corey Dillon (then) of the Cincinnati Bengals. He now blocks for LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers, and is considered to be the best blocking fullback in the league, and draws admirations from fellow fullbacks for his unselfishness, most notably Tony Richardson who once said in a NFL Films reel; "I'd like to think of myself as a pretty good player at fullback, but Lorenzo Neal is on a whole 'nother level".

In 2006, Neal was voted into the Pro Bowl for the second time.

1 High School Years
2 College Years
3 Pro Career
4 Quotes

[edit] High School Years

Neal attended Lemoore High School in Lemoore, California and was a letterman in football and wrestling. In wrestling, he won a State Title as a senior.

[edit] College Years

Neal is an alumnus of Fresno State University. Finished college with 2,405 yards rushing. Was All-Big West his junior and senior seasons. Was also an all-American wrestler at Fresno State.

[edit] Pro Career

1993: Suffered season-ending ankle injury at Atlanta on Sept. 12 after starting first two games…led team in rushing with 13 carries for 89 yards in NFL debut at Houston on Sept. 5…placed on Reserve-Injured list Sept. 15 for remainder of rookie season.

1994: Established career high with 30 carries, good for 90 yards and one touchdown.

1995: Caught career-long 69-yard touchdown pass at New England Dec. 3

1996: Set career highs with 31 catches and 194 receiving yards for New Orleans Saints.

1997: Helped New York Jets running back Adrian Murrell rush for 1,086 yards as team’s top fullback.

1998: Helped Tampa Bay Bucs running back Warrick Dunn rush for 1,026 yards.

1999: Selected to USA Today’s All-Joe Team…led way for Eddie George to rush for 1,304 yards in regular season and two 100-yard games in playoff as a member of Tennessee Titans squad that finished 16-4 and earned berth in Super Bowl XXXIV against the St. Louis Rams.

2000: Pro Bowl third-alternate after paving way for Eddie George’s 1,509 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns…NFL’s Best Blocking Fullback by Sporting News and named to Sports Illustrated’s Midseason All-Pro Team.

2001: Pro Bowl second-alternate…named to USA Today’s All-Joe Team…helped Cincinnati Bengals running back Corey Dillon rush for 1,315 rushing yards.

2002: Pro Bowl selection…paved way for Bengals running back Corey Dillon to rush for 1,311 yards.

2003: Pro Bowl first-alternate…named to USA Today’s All-Joe Team…helped pave way for San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson to rush for 1,645 yards and team to rush for 2,146 yards.

2004: Pro Bowl first-alternate…named to USA Today’s All-Joe Team…helped Tomlinson rush for 1,335 yards and Chargers rush for 2,185 yards as team.

2005: 2006 Pro Bowl starter…named to All-Interview Team by NFL.com…started 100th career game in season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. helped Tomlinson rush for 1,462 yards.

[edit] Quotes

"People like the melons, the strawberries, the bananas; they like the tomatoes. I'm like that old onion; When you want a good hamburger, you've got to call on that old onion"--Neal on his role in the Chargers offense.