Irving Fryar, the first overall pick in the 1984 NFL draft who went on to be a five-time Pro Bowler for the Patriots, Dolphins and Eagles, is heading to prison.
Fryar was sentenced today to five years for mortgage fraud. He and his mother were convicted of conspiracy and theft by deception for fraudulently using the same property while applying for multiple mortgages. His mother got three years’ probation.
“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,” acting New Jersey Attorney General John Hoffman said in a statement Friday.
The 53-year-old Fryar was an All-American at Nebraska and at times an excellent player in the NFL, although his off-field issues often overshadowed his on-field excellence. He missed the AFC Championship Game in his second NFL season because he had injured his hand in a fight with his wife and was arrested on weapons charges a couple years after that. He retired after the 2000 season with 851 catches for 12,785 yards and 84 touchdowns.