View source for Irving Fryar

{{Short description|American football player (born 1962)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Irving Fryar
| image       = Irving Fryar.jpg
| caption     = Fryar in 2023
| number      = 80, 86
| position    = [[Wide receiver]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1962|9|28}}
| birth_place = [[Mount Holly Township, New Jersey]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 0
| weight_lb   = 198
| high_school = [[Rancocas Valley Regional High School|Rancocas Valley Regional]] {{nowrap|(Mount Holly, New Jersey)}}
| college     = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] (1981–1983)
| draftyear   = 1984
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 1
| teams       =
* [[New England Patriots]] ({{NFL Year|1984}}&ndash;{{NFL Year|1992}})
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1993}}&ndash;{{NFL Year|1995}})
* [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ({{NFL Year|1996}}&ndash;{{NFL Year|1998}})
* [[Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1999}}&ndash;{{NFL Year|2000}})
| highlights  =
* 2× Second-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1985 All-Pro Team|1985]], [[1994 All-Pro Team|1994]])
* 5× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1986 Pro Bowl|1985]], [[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]], [[1995 Pro Bowl|1994]], [[1997 Pro Bowl|1996]], [[1998 Pro Bowl|1997]])
* [[New England Patriots|New England Patriots All-1980s Team]]
* [[New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team]] (2009)
* [[Bart Starr Award]] (1998)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1983 College Football All-America Team|1983]])
* First-team All-[[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] ([[1983 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1983]])
* Second-team All-Big Eight ([[1982 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1982]])
* [[Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame]] (2023)
* [[Japan Bowl]] MVP (1984)
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 851
| statlabel2  = [[Receiving yards]]
| statvalue2  = 12,785
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 84
| pfr         = FryaIr00
}}
'''Irving Dale Fryar Sr.''' (born September 28, 1962) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[wide receiver]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 17 seasons.  Fryar played [[college football]] for the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]], and was recognized as a [[unanimous All-American]].  He was selected with the [[List of first overall National Football League draft picks|first overall pick]] of the [[1984 NFL draft]], becoming the second wide receiver to be taken number one overall, the first being [[Dave Parks]] in 1964. Fryar played professionally for the [[New England Patriots]], [[Miami Dolphins]], [[Philadelphia Eagles]], and [[Washington Redskins]] of the NFL.  Known for his longevity, his best seasons statistically came well into his 30s, at a time when many receivers are on the tail end of their careers, and he played for 17 seasons, retiring at the age of 39 holding several NFL longevity records for receivers.

==Early life==

Fryar grew up in [[Mount Holly Township, New Jersey]], and played [[high school football]] at [[Rancocas Valley Regional High School]].<ref>Weinberg, David. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AC&p_theme=ac&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAEAC18F13FFE7B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "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."</ref>

==College career==
A [[unanimous All-American]] at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] in 1983, Fryar played alongside [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Mike Rozier]] (running back) and Heisman finalist [[Turner Gill]] (quarterback).

===Statistics===
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! colspan="4"| Receiving
! colspan="4"| Rushing
|-
! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! TD !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! TD
|-
! [[1981 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1981]]
| 3 || 70 || 23.1 || 1 || 7 || 30 || 4.3 || 1
|-
! [[1982 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1982]]
| 24 || 346 || 17.3 || 2 || 20 || 253 || 12.7 || 2
|-
! [[1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|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 second wide receiver to be [[List of first overall National Football League draft picks|selected]] first overall in an [[NFL draft]] when the [[New England Patriots]] made him the top selection of the [[1984 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1984 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1984/draft.htm |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

With the Patriots, Fryar saw success on a receiving corps that featured [[Stephen Starring]] and perennial Pro Bowler [[Stanley Morgan]].  He also served as the team's primary [[punt returner]]. Following the 1985 season, in which Fryar was named to his first [[Pro Bowl]], he played in [[Super Bowl XX]], where he scored New England's only touchdown in their 46–10 loss to the [[Chicago Bears]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XX - Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots - January 26th, 1986 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198601260chi.htm |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was one of the few marquee players on the 1–15 [[1990 New England Patriots season|1990 team]], and in 1991 he had his first 1000-yard receiving season.  Traded to the Dolphins in 1993 for a pair of high-round draft picks,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Terry |title=PATRIOTS DEAL FRYAR TO DOLPHIN |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1993-04-02-0000103845-story.html |website=Hartford Courant |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=2 April 1993}}</ref> he made an immediate impact, having two further 1000-yard seasons in 1993 and 1994, and making the Pro Bowl both years.  Following the 1995 season, he signed as a free agent with the Eagles,<ref>{{cite web |title=Eagles Agree To Terms With Wide Receiver Irving Fryar |url=https://apnews.com/article/5d6b69ba7fe22bb7b4c69a12584a7495 |website=Associated Press |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=19 March 1996}}</ref> with whom he played in a fourth and fifth Pro Bowl following the 1996 and 1997 seasons.  After retiring from football briefly following the 1998 season, he was signed by the Redskins,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maske |first1=Mark |title=Fryar Ends Retirement to Join Redskins |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/08/20/fryar-ends-retirement-to-join-redskins/bc8916fb-933b-470f-a226-a63cfe46f4b7/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=16 November 2021 |date=20 August 1999}}</ref> with whom he played the final two seasons of his career.
  
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 [[touchdown]]s, 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.

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

=== Regular season ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team
!colspan="2"| Games
!colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] !! [[1984 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 14 || 3 || 11 || 164 || 14.9 || 26 || 1
|-
! [[1985 NFL season|1985]] !! [[1985 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| '''16''' || 14 || 39 || 670 || 17.2 || 56 || 7
|-
! [[1986 NFL season|1986]] !! [[1986 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 14 || 13 || 43 || 737 || 17.1 || 69 || 6
|-
! [[1987 NFL season|1987]] !! [[1987 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 12 || 12 || 31 || 467 || 15.1 || 40 || 5
|-
! [[1988 NFL season|1988]] !! [[1988 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 15 || 14 || 33 || 490 || 14.8 || '''80''' || 5
|-
! [[1989 NFL season|1989]] !! [[1989 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 11 || 5 || 29 || 537 || '''18.5''' || 52 || 3
|-
! [[1990 NFL season|1990]] !! [[1990 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| '''16''' || 15 || 54 || 856 || 15.9 || 56 || 4
|-
! [[1991 NFL season|1991]] !! [[1991 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| '''16''' || 15 || 68 || 1,014 || 14.9 || 56 || 3
|-
! [[1992 NFL season|1992]] !! [[1992 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 15 || 14 || 55 || 791 || 14.4 || 54 || 4
|-
! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] !! [[1993 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 64 || 1,010 || 15.8 || 65 || 5
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 73 || 1,270 || 17.4 || 54 || 7
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 62 || 910 || 14.7 || 67 || 8
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || '''88''' || 1,195 || 13.6 || 42 || '''11'''
|-
! [[1997 NFL season|1997]] !! [[1997 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 86 || '''1,316''' || 15.3 || 72 || 6
|-
! [[1998 NFL season|1998]] !! [[1998 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| '''16''' || '''16''' || 48 || 556 || 11.6 || 61 || 2
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] !! [[1999 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| '''16''' || 1 || 26 || 254 || 9.8 || 30 || 2
|-
! [[2000 NFL season|2000]] !! [[2000 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 14 || 6 || 41 || 548 || 13.4 || 34 || 5
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 255 !! 208 !! 851 !! 12,785 !! 15.0 !! 80 !! 84
|}

=== Playoffs ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team
!colspan="2"| Games
!colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1985 NFL season|1985]] !! [[1985 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| '''3''' || '''2''' || 4 || 71 || '''17.8''' || '''39''' || '''1'''
|-
! [[1986 NFL season|1986]] !! [[1986 New England Patriots season|NWE]]
| 1 || 1 || 2 || 11 || 5.5 || 7 || 0
|-
! [[1994 NFL season|1994]] !! [[1994 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]]
| 2 || '''2''' || '''11''' || '''141''' || 12.8 || 24 || '''1'''
|-
! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] !! [[1995 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]]
| 1 || 1 || 3 || 29 || 9.7 || 15 || 0
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] !! [[1996 Philadelphia Eagles season|PHI]]
| 1 || 1 || 5 || 62 || 12.4 || 20 || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] !! [[1999 Washington Redskins season|WAS]]
| 2 || 0 || 5 || 47 || 9.4 || 17 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 10 !! 7 !! 30 !! 361 !! 12.0 !! 39 !! 2
|}

==Personal life==
Fryar has had several off field incidents during and after his career. In 1985, he missed the [[1985–86 NFL playoffs#AFC: New England Patriots 31, Miami Dolphins 14|AFC championship game]] after injuring his hand in a domestic dispute with his pregnant wife.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/05/irving-fryar-popular-preacher-despite-latest-brush-with-law/8v19XAC5U3KTfV5FevSv6N/story.html|title=Irving Fryar keeps faith, despite latest brush with law |website=BostonGlobe.com|access-date=November 24, 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/16/sports/sports-people-fryar-is-arrested.html "SPORTS PEOPLE; Fryar Is Arrested"] ''The New York Times'', February 16, 1988, accessed August 7, 2015</ref>

On November 23, 1986, Fryar separated his shoulder during a game against the [[Buffalo Bills]]. Instead of watching the rest of the game from the sidelines, Fryar left the stadium and was listening to the game while driving his car through Foxboro. He crashed into a tree and suffered a slight concussion.<ref>{{cite news|title=SCOUTING; Fryar's Mistake With a Receiver|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/03/sports/scouting-fryar-s-mistake-with-a-receiver.html|access-date=January 9, 2018|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 3, 1986}}</ref>

His wife filed for divorce in 2014 after 29 years of marriage.<ref>[http://mmqb.si.com/2014/10/14/a-twist-in-irving-fryars-redemption-story "A Twist in Irving Fryar's Redemption Story"] by Greg Hanlon ''Sports Illustrated'', October 14, 2014, accessed August 7, 2015</ref> They have four children.<ref>[http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/football/index.ssf/2013/08/after_a_winding_road_former_nfl_star_irving_fryar_spreads_his_message_to_new_congregation.html "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</ref>

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 plans to appeal.<ref>[http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/communities/florence/former-eagle-fryar-mother-found-guilty-of-theft/article_f9aaa1d1-e9bd-5f48-8aa2-d6402e9bb73f.html "Former Eagle Fryar, Mother, Found Guilty of Theft"]{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} by Rose Krebs ''Bucks County Courier Times'', August 7, 2015, accessed August 7, 2015</ref>

Fryar's son, Londen, was signed by the [[New York Giants]] as an undrafted free agent in 2009 out of [[Western Michigan University]].

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".<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2, 2015 |title=Ex-Pats, Dolphins WR Fryar sentenced to 5 years |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/13794653/ex-receiver-irving-fryar-sentenced-5-years |access-date=November 24, 2021 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/ex-patriots-player-mom-ordered-to-pay-restitution-in-mortgage-scam/8229419|title=Ex-Patriots player, mom ordered to pay restitution in mortgage scam|date=December 8, 2015|website=Wcvb.com|access-date=November 24, 2021}}</ref>  In June 2016, Fryar was released from prison after serving eight months of his sentence. He was placed under the state's Supervision Program for non-violent offenders.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Irving Fryar released after 8 months of 5-year prison sentence |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/irving-fryar-released-after-8-months-of-5-year-prison-sentence |access-date=2025-10-04 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>

==NFL records==
* Touchdown receptions from 19 different passers
* First player to record a touchdown in 17 consecutive seasons (1984–2000) - (broken by [[Jerry Rice]] who ended up with 20 consecutive seasons with a touchdown reception)
* Oldest player to score 4 touchdowns (all receptions) in a single game (October 20, 1996) - 34 years, 22 days
* Third most receiving yards in a half - 211 (2nd half, September 4, 1994)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Footballstats |nfl=Irving-Fryar|cfl= |afl= |espn=25 |cbs= |yahoo=39457 |fox= |si=39457 |pfr=F/FryaIr00 |rotoworld=}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130123190501/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=FryarIrv01 Irving Fryar at databasefootball.com]}}

{{1984 NFL Draft}}
{{NFL NumberOne Draft Picks}}
{{Bart Starr Award}}
{{Patriots1984DraftPicks}}
{{PatriotsFirstPick}}
{{Patriots1980s}}
{{Patriots50th}}
{{1983 NCAA Division I-A College Football Consensus All-Americans}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fryar, Irving}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:American football return specialists]]
[[Category:American football wide receivers]]
[[Category:American Christian clergy]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]
[[Category:First overall NFL draft picks]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players]]
[[Category:New England Patriots players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Mount Holly, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Eagles players]]
[[Category:Rancocas Valley Regional High School alumni]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Burlington County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Washington Redskins players]]
[[Category:American sportspeople convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]