Neil Worden

Neil James Worden (born August 1, 1931) is a former American football fullback who played in the National Football League. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1954 NFL Draft and played in the 1954 and 1957 seasons. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame.

College Years
Worden went to play for Notre Dame from 1950 to 1953. At Notre Dame he played under head coach Frank Leahy, who was the former line coach for the Seven Blocks of Granite. Here, Neal played Fullback behind an all pro line of Tackle Art Hunter, Center Jim Schrader, and Guard Menil Mavraides as the main blockers for Heisman Trophy winning running back Johnny Lattner.

His Senior year, the 1953 Notre Dame finished the season 9-0-1 and was runner up to the National Championship, and had an unprecedented 12 players drafted to '54 NFL.

In a September 13, 1954 Milwaukee Sentinel article by Tony Ingrassia, Notre Dame's new head coach Terry Brennan pleads; "Tell the people in Milwaukee to send me another fullback like Neil Worden." On the same day in the September 13th, 1954 Sports Illustrated article Herman Hickman describes the 1953 Notre Dame Team by writing; "Frankly, it's hard to see how any squad could lose such men as Halfback Johnny Lattner, Fullback Neil Worden, Tackle Art Hunter, Center Jim Schrader and Guard Menil Mavraides and still be a top-ranked team. Each was on some All-American or other. Lattner, Worden and Hunter were first-round Pro draft choices. Schrader was a second-round choice. Mavraides a third. But Notre Dame is not an ordinary football team, it's Notre Dame... Notre Dame doesn't lose two often."

Neil Worden finished his Notre Dame rushing carrier with 476 attempts for 2039 yards and 29 Touch Downs.