McNeil led Banning High School to the 1976 Los Angeles City 4-A football title.
[1] At 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 214 lb (97 kg) he attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a running back, where he was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection.
During the mid to late 1980s he was a member of the Jets' "Two Headed Monster" backfield along with teammate Johnny Hector, a tandem that ranked among the league's elite.
From 1990 to 1992 McNeil was the lead plaintiff in a case won by jury verdict that struck down the NFL's Plan B free agency system, under which teams could protect 37 players.
[3] The suit is considered a major step in the achievement of free agency rights by the NFL Players Association.