Fred McNeill
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Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| No. 54 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | May 6, 1952 Durham, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | November 3, 2015 (aged 63) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Baldwin Park (CA) | ||||||||
| College | UCLA | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1974: 1st round, 17th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Frederick Arnold McNeill (May 6, 1952 – November 3, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons from 1974 to 1985. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins. In 1973, he was named to the All-Coast/Conference First-team.[1] McNeill was selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft with the 17th overall selection. He was the first person to have been diagnosed with CTE while alive and have it confirmed following his death.
He played on defenses that led the NFC in fewest points allowed in 1976 and the NFL in fewest total yards allowed in 1975 and fewest passing yards allowed in 1976.
McNeill appeared in 2 Super Bowls with the Vikings, Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl XI. McNeill blocked a punt in Super Bowl XI.