Kalamazoo Times

Steve Neal, a Western Michigan University (WMU) alumnus and former Bronco football player, is contributing to the Detroit Lions' efforts as their Midwest area scout. Neal, who graduated from WMU in 2000 with a degree in criminal justice, is now in his 11th season with the team. He works alongside head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes as the franchise pursues its first Super Bowl victory.

Describing his scouting routine, Neal says, “You wake up early, get to the school and try to get with coaches, academics, anybody that can let you know about these players to get as much background as possible. Then you go out and watch practice. You're looking for a certain body type in a kid; it's kind of hard. You can watch them on tape, but you’ve got to actually get eyes on the guy because they want everything. We've got to describe them from the neck down. You try to tie in what you see in person to what you saw on tape.”

Neal’s path began after an injury ended his high school quarterback prospects. Recruited by WMU assistant coach Larry Edlund after a recommendation from Neal’s doctor—who was also a WMU graduate—he joined the Broncos as a walk-on wide receiver instead of quarterback.

He recalls his college debut: “My first college game was against Temple, a night game. All three receivers were freshmen. I didn’t know what I could do. The first two times I touched the football, I scored touchdowns, and from there it was just like, ‘Wow, I can actually do this.’”

During his four years at WMU, Neal became a three-time all-conference selection and achieved the program’s first 1,000-yard receiving season. His accomplishments led to induction into the Western Michigan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.

Neal credits former WMU head coach Gary Darnell for encouraging him to consider life beyond playing football: “Coach Darnell always talked about the bigger picture and understanding that this game doesn’t last forever. When he started talking about that stuff, it made me start thinking about other things.”

After graduation, Neal coached at Savannah State University and Wayne State University before connecting with fellow Bronco alum John Morton at an NFL combine. Morton later offered him an internship with the San Francisco 49ers.

In recent developments linking WMU and the Lions further, John Morton was named offensive coordinator for Detroit ahead of the 2025-26 season. In 2024, Western Michigan University announced a three-year partnership with the Lions as their official educational partner.

Reflecting on his time with Detroit so far, Neal says: “It’s been a dream, honestly. Just waking up every day and getting the chance to do something I actually love. I haven’t had a bad day yet.”

For more information about news and events related to Western Michigan University visit WMU News online.