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Most athletes never become the best in the world at their
sport, but Stephen Neal accomplished the feat in both Wrestling and Football.
October 17, 2025
Few athletes in the history
of Cal State Bakersfield – or anywhere, for that matter – have achieved what
Stephen Neal did. A two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion, four-time
All-American, and winner of the 1999 Dan Hodge Trophy, Neal dominated collegiate
wrestling before going on to win the World Wrestling Championships.
Stephen
Neal has his hand raised by the referee at the NCAA Championships.
Yet, what makes his story even more extraordinary is what
came next: a decade-long NFL career and three Super Bowl rings with the New
England Patriots, all without ever having played college football.
On Oct. 25, Neal will take his rightful place among the
inaugural inductees into the CSUB Athletics Hall of Fame, a recognition of a
career – and a life – defined by belief, resilience, and relentless work.
“My time as an athlete at Cal State Bakersfield meant a lot to
me. I was able to get an education and be embraced by the community of
Bakersfield. I have a lot of really good memories from that time. It wasn’t
easy. We had a lot of hard classes. I learned that if I put my mind to
something, I can accomplish anything and that helped later on in my life.
Everything I attacked, I thought I could achieve because of my time at CSUB.”
- Stephen Neal
Stephen
Neal's headshot from his time at Cal State Bakersfield.
Neal’s record at CSUB remains legendary. His 156 career
victories and 71 pins are still school records. In 1999, after capturing his
second consecutive national championship, Neal earned wrestling’s highest
individual honor – the Dan Hodge Trophy, the sport’s equivalent of the Heisman
Trophy. He capped that same year with a gold medal at the Pan American Games
and a world title at the World Wrestling Championships. In less than a year,
Neal had conquered every level of wrestling.
Stephen
Neal faces down a foe on the mat, ready to go in his wrestling stance.
But true to his nature, he wasn’t finished. Despite not playing
football since high school, Neal decided to pursue an NFL dream that most would
have dismissed as impossible. In 2001, he signed with the New England Patriots
as an undrafted free agent. By 2002, he was on the 53-man roster. Over the next 10 seasons, Neal
would become a mainstay on the Patriots’ offensive line, protecting Tom Brady
and helping the team capture three Super Bowl titles (2001, 2004, 2005).
Stephen
Neal (#61, center) protects Tom Brady (#12, left) during a game with the New
England Patriots.
“I learned that if you want
something, you have to fight for it. It was always a fight at Cal State
Bakersfield. We didn’t have the biggest budget or the shiny toys, but we
fought. It doesn’t matter if people believe in you; if you believe in yourself
and you’re willing to fight for it, you can get it.”
- Stephen Neal
That fighter’s mentality
was evident from his first days in Bakersfield. CSUB alumnus and wrestling
coach Darryl Pope
recalled that when Neal was at his best, he was easygoing and lighthearted.
“If Stephen wasn’t joking,
if he wasn’t laughing, he wasn’t talking, and he wasn’t relaxed, he wasn’t
ready. That’s what made him tick,” Pope said. “He never made the Pro Bowl, but my response to that is
this: Stephen Neal, having played no college football, walks on and makes the
New England Patriots, arguably the greatest franchise in NFL history…When Coach
Belichick says ‘Steve, I want you to play right here at Right Guard and protect
Tom Brady for the next 10 years,’ I don’t care what anybody says—that’s All-Pro.”
Stephen
Neal (left center) poses with CSUB coaches Darryl Pope (left) and T.J. Kerr
(right) while wearing New England Patriots hats.
Neal’s influence extended
beyond statistics and accolades. His teammate and friend Coby Wright remembers
him as both a fierce competitor and a humble man of faith. “Off the mat, Steve
wasn’t anything like he was on the mat…He was great at his sport, but I feel
like the legacy he leaves is his character and the relationships he has with
his wife, his family, his kids. That’s what’s most important to him. His main
objective in life is to show people about Christ and how he feels that affected
him.”
For Wright, Neal’s
combination of fearlessness and humility set him apart. “Steve had no fear, and
he didn’t have that fear of being tired that a lot of wrestlers have. His heart
was in it, and you can’t do that well without believing in your coach’s philosophy.”
Stephen
Neal (left) competes against future WWE star Brock Lesnar (right) in the finals
of the 1999 NCAA Championships. Neal would win his second-straight national
title.
Neal’s faith in his
coaches – T.J. Kerr, Darryl Pope, and Rich Bailey – and in the CSUB program
became a defining part of his journey: “These guys shaped me and molded me into
who I became. Without my teammates, I’m still that wrestler that took fourth at
State.”
Even after his retirement
from professional football, Neal’s connection to wrestling and to Bakersfield
remains strong. He continues to credit the sport for shaping him, not only
physically but as a person as well. “The sport of wrestling gave me cuts, cauliflower
ear. It shaped me. But the biggest thing is our camaraderie and how we went to
battle every single day. We fought so hard, but at the end of the day, we are
best friends still.”
When Neal learned of his Hall of Fame selection, he saw it not
just as personal validation, but as recognition for everyone who helped him
along the way: “Being inducted into the [CSUB Athletics] Hall of Fame is a very
special thing for me. I worked really hard, and to get the recognition that
people see how hard I worked – and the people that helped me get there, getting
them honored as well – is very special.”
From the wrestling mats of
Bakersfield to the Super Bowl sidelines of New England, Stephen Neal’s story is
a testament to perseverance, humility, and the belief that no dream is too
far-fetched when you’re willing to fight for it. His journey embodies the
spirit of the Roadrunners – gritty, hard-working, and forever faithful to the
lessons learned on that Blue and Gold mat.
Those interested in
celebrating the career and legacy of Neal on Oct. 25 can purchase tickets for
the Induction Ceremony at the link below.
