Irving Dale Fryar, Sr. (born September 28, 1962) is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for seventeen seasons. Fryar played college football for the University of Nebraska, and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected with the first overall pick of the 1984 NFL Draft, becoming the first wide receiver to be taken number one overall, and played professionally for the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Redskins of the NFL.
Early years
Fryar grew up in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey, and played high school football at Rancocas Valley Regional High School.[1]
College career
An All-American for the University of Nebraska in 1983, Fryar played alongside Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier (running back) and Heisman finalist Turner Gill (quarterback).
Statistics
|
Receiving |
Rushing |
| Year |
REC |
YDS |
AVG |
TD |
ATT |
YDS |
AVG |
TD |
| 1981 | 3 | 70 | 23.1 | 1 | 7 | 30 | 4.3 | 1 |
| 1982 | 24 | 346 | 17.3 | 2 | 20 | 253 | 12.7 | 2 |
| 1983 | 40 | 780 | 19.5 | 8 | 23 | 318 | 13.8 | 2 |
| Totals | 67 | 1,196 | 17.9 | 11 | 52 | 615 | 11.8 | 5 |
Professional career
Fryar was the first wide receiver to be drafted first overall in the NFL Draft when the New England Patriots made him the top selection of the 1984 NFL Draft.
Fryar played in Super Bowl XX with the Patriots and scored their only touchdown in their 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. He played a total of 255 games in his career and made the Pro Bowl five times (1985, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997). He was one of the few marquee players on the dreadful 1990 team.
Fryar's career is particularly noteworthy for being more productive in the later stages than early on. Fryar had his first 1,000-yard season at age 29. He went on to achieve that mark four more times and was selected to four Pro Bowls after the age of 30.
Fryar retired from the NFL in 2001 after completing 17 NFL seasons. During that time, he caught 851 passes for 12,785 yards and 84 touchdowns, along with one rushing and three punt return touchdowns. He also gained 242 rushing yards, 2,055 yards returning punts, 505 yards on kickoff returns, and 7 fumble return yards, giving him 15,594 all-purpose yards.
Fryar's 255 played games are the most ever for a New Jersey-born player.[2]
Personal
Fryar has had several off-field incidents during and after his career. In 1986, he missed the AFC championship game after injuring his hand in a domestic dispute with his pregnant wife.[3] He was arrested in 1988 on weapons charges after a New Jersey state trooper found a loaded shotgun and handgun and a hunting knife in Fryar's car.[4]
His wife filed for divorce in 2014 after 29 years of marriage.[5] They have four children.[6]
In 2003, Fryar founded New Jerusalem House of God and serves as their pastor. They held their first service on Sunday, June 8, 2003 at The Burlington County Institute of Technology in Westampton, NJ where they held services for 1 year. From there, they moved to Joey's Catering in Burlington, NJ and held services there for 2 years. In April 2006, under the leadership of Pastor Fryar, New Jerusalem House of God acquired and moved into their own building located at 400 Washington Street in Mt. Holly, NJ where they continue to worship and serve the surrounding community.
On August 7, 2015, Fryar and his mother, Allene McGhee, were found guilty of conspiring to defraud six banks and a mortgage company by a New Jersey Superior Court jury. The prosecution maintained that Fryar and McGhee conspired with real estate consultant William Barksdale in a scheme to fraudulently obtain six home-equity loans totaling about $850,000 in November and December 2009, and a $414,000 mortgage in October 2009, using McGhee's home as collateral in each instance. Fryar and McGhee maintain they were victims of Barksdale, who is serving a 20-month sentence in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in the scheme, and plan to appeal.[7]
Fryar's son, Londen, was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2009 out of Western Michigan University. He did not play in a regular season game, and was waived in 2010.[8] He played for the Mönchengladbach Mavericks of the German Football League in 2011. The day after he had shoulder surgery, the Giants invited him to camp, but he could not attend.[9]
On October 2, 2015 Pro Football Talk reported that Fryar and his mother were convicted of mortgage fraud. Fryar will receive a five year prison sentence while his mother will receive probation. According to the New Jersey AG who oversaw the case,John Hoffman, "The fact that Fryar had the means to succeed and do good things and instead chose this criminal path makes his actions all the more reprehensible".[10]
On December 7, 2015 a NJ Judge handed up an order that Irving Fryar and his mother to pay $615,600 in restitution to five lending institutions that were cheated in a mortgage scam. Fryar and his mother, Allene McGhee, were convicted of applying for multiple mortgage loans in quick succession while using the same property as collateral. Fryar was sentenced in October to five years in prison while his mother received three years of probation.[11]
NFL records
- Touchdown receptions from 19 different passers
- 1st player to record a touchdown reception in 17 consecutive seasons (1984–2000) - (broken by Jerry Rice who ended up with 20 consecutive seasons with a TD reception)
- Oldest player to score 4 touchdowns (all receptions) in a single game (10/20/1996) - 34 years, 22 days
- 2nd most receiving yards in a half - 211 (2nd half, Sept. 4, 1994) (Steve Largent had 224 in the 1st half against replacement players in 1987)
References
- ↑ Weinberg, David. "New Jersey native Fryar agrees to pact with Eagles", The Press of Atlantic City, March 20, 1996. Accessed February 28, 2011. "Fryar, who grew up in Mount Holly and starred at Rancocas Valley High School, became the second area native to sign with the Eagles during the offseason, joining Trenton's Troy Vincent."
- ↑ "The Newark Star Ledger". April 22, 2012.
- ↑ Boston Globe
- ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE; Fryar Is Arrested" The New York Times, February 16, 1988 accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ "A Twist in Irving Fryar’s Redemption Story" by Greg Hanlon Sports Illustrated, October 14, 2014 accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ "Irving Fryar, after winding road as former NFL star, spreads his message to new congregation" by Matthew Stanmyre NJ.com, August 4, 2013 accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ "Former Eagle Fryar, Mother, Found Guilty of Theft" by Rose Krebs Bucks County Courier Times, August 7, 2015 accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ "Londen Fryar" Rotoworld accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ "Giants Invite Londen Fryar to Camp" Big Blue Interactive August 7, 2012 accessed August 7, 2015
- ↑ http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13794653/ex-receiver-irving-fryar-sentenced-5-years
- ↑ "Irving restitution orderd"
External links
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