Fryar, Irving

Cards: Action Packed 1992, Proset 1990
Acquired: TTM 1991, 1992  C/o The New England Patriots


Irving Fryar was the first modern day wide receiver selected with the top pick of the NFL draft in 1984. (Keshawn Johnson would be the second drafted by the Jets in 2000.)  After an anonymous rookie season in 1984, Fryar led the Patriots to Super Bowl XX in 1985. -Unfortunately it would be against the vaunted Chicago Bears. (Fryar however scored the Patriots only touchdown of the game.) He’d notch a ProBowl nomination that year as the Patriots’ wr/kr, but the team slid back under the radar -and so did his statistics, with the team becoming a quarterback carousel. Being a #1 pick, it was hard for Irving to live up to the high expectations set before him in the early years, but the 1990s were kinder to him, as Fryar finally came into his own.

He’d leave the Patriots after the 1992 season and would play with the Dolphins (1993,1994,1995), Eagles (1996,1997,1998) and finally the Redskins (1999,2000).  Irving never really got the respect deserved to him as he’d notch ProBowl nominations in 1993, 1996 and 1997 going over 1000 yards 5 times after 1991. Fryar also earned his fair share of NFL records, and was a constant touchdown threat during his playing days. He holds an odd record of catching touchdowns from 19 different quarterbacks over his career, and was named to the Patriots 50th anniversary team.

After retiring from pro football in 2000, he became a man of God and a reverend for the New Jerusalem House of God. His son Londen, also played briefly for the New York Giants.

g 255     rec   851       yds 12785        avg  15.0          td 84        lg 80