1962-1965

BILLY NEIGHBORS   G

Billy Neighbors began his football career in 1958 for Bear Bryant and was the anchor on both the offensive and defensive lines for Alabama's 1961 national championship team, the first title won by coach Bryant.

In 1961 Alabama team shut out six opponents and allowed only three touchdowns en route to an 11-0 season. Neighbors went on to be selected as a consensus All-American and the most valuable lineman in the Senior Bowl that season.

He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1962 AFL draft and signed with the Boston Patriots for $27,000. Neighbors played guard and was a leader along the offensive line for a Patriots team that made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and played in the 1963 AFL Championship game.

For his efforts that season, Neighbors was selected to the 1963 AFL All-Star team. He played for four years with the Patriots, was All-Pro two times, and was selected to the Boston Patriots All-1960s (AFL) Team.

Neighbors was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and was a colorful figure who worked for nearly four decades as a stockbroker after he retired from professional football.

Billy Neighbors passed away on April 30, 2012 at age 72, in Huntsville, AL from a heart attack.