Merrillville's Neal offers 'sack' of football goodies for his family

CHICAGO | If Mike Neal were in his 10th NFL season with all the nagging injuries he's had, you'd agree it was the price athletes pay in this punishing sport.

Starks, Neal itching to play for Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. | Mike Neal is hoping his Indiana homecoming counts for something.

Purdue's Kawann Short preparing for his 'Sunday' NFL auditions

MERRILLVILLE | Kawann Short has grown up.

AL HAMNIK: 'Project' player Fred Blue won't give up NFL dream

SCHERERVILLE | Fred Blue may be one of pro football's best kept secrets, through no fault of his own.

NFL suspends Packers DE, Merrillville grad Mike Neal 4 games

GREEN BAY, Wis. | The NFL suspended Green Bay Packers defensive end and Merrillville product Mike Neal without pay Tuesday for the team's first four games of the 2012 regular season for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing substances.

Mike Neal

Mike Neal, Merrillville grad, Green Bay Packers, defensive end, 2011

Injuries slow down Mike Neal's promising career in Green Bay

Defensive tackle Mike Neal was a "freak" in the Purdue weight room, where jaws dropped as he bench-pressed 510 pounds and squated 615.

Merrillville graduate Neal nears return with Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. | The Green Bay Packers may get injured defensive end and Merrillville graduation Mike Neal back on the practice field next week, but Mike McCarthy says veteran left tackle Chad Clifton remains "multiple" weeks away from a potential return.

Merrillville grad Neal to miss 'significant' time after surgery

GREEN BAY, Wis. | Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy says defensive end and Merrillville High School graduate Mike Neal will miss a "significant" amount of time after having surgery this week.

Gary native Brandon Moore 'cautiously optimistic' NFL lockout will end

As NFL owners and players slugged it out during the four-month lockout, veteran New York Jets' guard Brandon Moore didn't expect fans to be charting blows and keeping score.

AL HAMNIK: NFL standoff makes it easy to take sides

Mike Neal and Brandon Moore are not lawyers. They beat people up on the football field, not in the courts.

Mike Neal, Green Bay Packers rookie lineman

Merrillville grad and former Purdue standout Mike Neal, a rookie with the Super Bowl Green Bay Packers, is among 16 players placed on the inactive list this season.

Packers' Mike Neal a reluctant observer at Super Bowl XLV

Mike Neal laughed. He couldn't help himself. "It's crazy. I've always told my mom we'd be having a Super Bowl party on Sunday as usual -- but this time I'm there," the Green Bay Packers' rookie defensive end said.

AL HAMNIK: Packers' Neal: It's been complete hell for me

Mike Neal will watch today's Bears-Packers game in the comfort of a warm press box at Lambeau Field.

Mike Neal

Green Bay Packers defensive end Mike Neal, a Merrillville grad, offers encouragement to teammate Ryan Pickett during a Sept. 27, 2010 game at Soldier Field. Packers coach Mike McCarthy says Neal will miss a "significant" amount of time after having surgery this week.

Packers lose Merrillville grad Neal to injury -- again

Around 5 o'clock region time this morning, Mike Neal was wheeled into surgery, still angry, but resigned to his fate.

Close, yet so far away for Merrillville's Mike Neal

Packers rookie Mike Neal didn't expect this at all. He's a football player. He's supposed to be terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, not watching them from the sideline. A two-year starter at Purdue University, he rarely left the field. Now the Merrillville High School graduate can't get on it.

Merrillville native Mike Neal sits out for Packers

Merrillville, IN, native and Green Bay Packer defensive end Mike Neal enjoys the game from the sidelines during Green Bay's game against the Chicago Bears Monday, September 27, 2010 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Neal was inactive for the game.

Merrillville native Mike Neal sits out for Packers

Merrillville, IN, native and Green Bay Packer defensive end Mike Neal, left, listens to a play during Green Bay's game against the Chicago Bears Monday, September 27, 2010 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.

Merrillville native Mike Neal sits out versus Bears

Merrillville, IN, native and Green Bay Packer defensive end Mike Neal, center, watches a play from the sidelines during Green Bay's game against the Chicago Bears Monday, September 27, 2010 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Neal was inactive for the game.