Steve Freeman

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Steve Freeman
Date of birth	May 8, 1953
Place of birth	Lamesa, Texas
Position(s)	Defensive back
College	Mississippi State
NFL Draft	1975 / Round 5
Statistics	DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1975-1986 1987	Buffalo Bills Minnesota Vikings

Steven Jay Freeman (born May 8, 1953 in Lamesa, Texas) is a former American football defensive back.

After attending Mississippi State University, he was selected by the National Football League's New England Patriots in the 1975 NFL Draft. However, he was released by the Patriots before the start of the regular season, and eventually signed with the Buffalo Bills. Freeman spent 12 season with Buffalo, compiling 23 career interceptions and 3 touchdowns. In 1980 alone, he intercepted 7 passes for 107 yards and 1 touchdown. He spent his last NFL season, 1987, with the Minnesota Vikings after being traded by the Bills.

After retiring as a player, Freeman became an American football official, working in college football's Southeastern Conference and NFL Europe before joining the NFL in 2001 as a back judge. As an official, he wears the uniform number 133 and is on the 2006 NFL officiating crew headed by referee Terry McAulay.

One of Freeman's teammates in Buffalo was linebacker Jim Haslett, who later became head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Despite the fact the two men were teammates for several seasons, Freeman was not prohibited from working Saints games during Haslett's six-year tenure as the Saints coach from 2000-2005. While in the SEC, Freeman was prohibited from working Mississippi State games, as league rules do not allow officials to work games involving their alma mater.

Freeman currently resides in Mississippi and is married and have three children. Freeman's son, Brad, was a four-year letterman on the Mississippi State baseball team and helped the Bulldogs reach the College World Series in 1997 and 1998.