Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1982
- Class:
- 1964
Tommy Neville starred on the football field for Mississippi State from 1962-64, starting at tackle on both sides of the ball.
After playing the 1961 season on the freshman team, Neville made an immediate impact upon seeing varsity action. He was selected to the All-SEC Sophomore Team in 1962.
He played an integral part on the 1963 squad that posted a 7-2-2 record and won the Liberty Bowl – the Bulldogs’ first bowl game since 1940. Neville was named First Team All-SEC and Second Team All-American for his contributions on a team that defeated two bowl opponents and tied the SEC champion. He notched his second-straight First Team All-SEC honor in 1964, ending his college career with the Bulldogs’ first victory over Ole Miss since 1946.
Neville was drafted by the AFL’s Boston Patriots in 1965 and played 12 seasons in New England. He was selected to the AFL All-Star Game in 1966 and was captain of four Patriots squads. The Patriots honored him with a Tom Neville Day, and he was named to the Patriots 35th Anniversary Team. He concluded his professional career starting for the New York Giants in 1978 and the Denver Broncos in 1979.
Neville was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
