Dwight Freeney - Player Development - Football Support Staff

Dwight Freeney

Title:
Player Development

Legendary Syracuse football player Dwight Freeney, who went on to become a College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, has been added to the Syracuse football staff in Player Development.

One of the greatest players in football history, Freeney spent 16 seasons in the NFL, 11 of which with the Indianapolis Colts. He has the 19th-most sacks in NFL history, won a Super Bowl, was enshrined in Canton in 2024 and had his jersey retired at Syracuse the same year.

A 2001 unanimous First Team All-American, Freeney was a finalist for the Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski awards, and he finished ninth in 2001 Heisman Trophy voting. He holds the NCAA record for career pass sacks per game (1.61), and he finished his career as the NCAA leader in single-season sacks with 17.5 in 2001. He had eight forced fumbles in 2001, which currently places him third in the NCAA record books, and he averaged .67 forced fumbles per game in 2001. His 4.5 sacks against Virginia Tech on Oct. 21, 2000, set a conference record.

The 2001 team captain and MVP, Freeney currently holds school records for career (50.5) and single season tackle for loss (25.5 in 2001) and forced fumbles in a career (14). He finished his career with 104 tackles and 34 sacks, second only to College Football Hall of Famer Tim Green on Syracuse’s all-time list.

Freeney led the Orange to three bowl berths, including a 20-13 win over Kentucky in the 1999 Music City Bowl and a 26-3 victory over Kansas State in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl. During his four seasons in upstate New York, he helped guide the 'Cuse to a 31-17 record and a No. 25 final national ranking in 1998 and the No. 14 spot in 2001. His efforts landed him an invitation to participate in the 2002 Senior Bowl.

Freeney was the 11th overall selection of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, starting a legendary professional career that made him known as one of the greatest pass rushers in the sport’s history.

As a rookie, he recorded 13 sacks, starting a run of 11-or-more sacks in each of his first-four seasons in the league. He led the NFL in sacks in 2004 with 16, and appeared in three Super Bowls, two with the Colts and one with the Falcons, while helping the Colts win Super Bowl XLI in 2006. He was also named AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 after forcing six fumbles and 11 sacks.

In addition to being a Super Bowl Champion, he was named to the All-Pro team four times, including three first-team selections and was selected to seven Pro Bowls.

In 2024, Freeney became the seventh jersey retired in the more than 130-year history of Syracuse football. He joined Larry Csonka (39), Tim Green (72), John Mackey (88), Donovan McNabb (5), Don McPherson (9) and Joe Morris (47). The No. 44, worn by 25 players, including legendary running backs Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little, is also hung in the Dome rafters.