Lyle Martin Alzado (April 3, 1949 – May 14, 1992) was an American professional All Pro
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL), famous for his intense and intimidating style of play.
Alzado played 15 seasons, splitting his time among the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
, the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
, and finally the
Los Angeles Raiders
The Los Angeles Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994 before relocating back to Oakland, California, where the team played from its inaugural 1960 season to the 1981 season and then agai ...
with whom he won a championship in
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference ( ...
.
Early life
Alzado was born in
Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn in New York City. The neighborhood is generally bordered by Crown Heights to the northwest; Bedford–Stuyvesant and Cypress Hills to the north; East New York to the east; Canarsie ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, to an Italian-Spanish father, Maurice, and a
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
ish mother with a Russian family background, Martha Sokolow Alzado, and was himself Jewish.
["Lyle Alzado Hits Only on Sunday"](_blank)
Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, October 15, 1978 When he was 10, the family moved to
Cedarhurst,
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
. His father, whom Alzado later described as "a drinker and street fighter," left the family during Alzado's sophomore year at
Lawrence High School.
He played high school football and was a Vardon Trophy Candidate (defense) in high school for three years.
College
Following his failure to receive a college scholarship offer, Alzado played for
Kilgore College
Kilgore College (KC) is a public community college in Kilgore, Texas. It has an annual enrollment in excess of 5,000 students and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate deg ...
, a community college in
Kilgore, Texas
Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. Over three-fourths of the city limits is located in Gregg County, the remainder in Rusk County. The population was 12,975 at the 2010 census and 13,376 ...
. After two years, he was asked to leave the team, he later contended, for befriending a black teammate.
From Texas, Alzado moved on to
Yankton College
Yankton College is a former private liberal arts college in Yankton, South Dakota, United States, affiliated with the Congregational Christian Churches (later the United Church of Christ). Yankton College produced nine Rhodes Scholars, more than a ...
in
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...
.
Though playing in relative obscurity in the
NAIA, Alzado nonetheless gained notice by the NFL when
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
' coach and scout
Stan Jones having been taken off the road by automobile trouble, decided to pass the time at nearby
Montana Tech, one of Yankton's opponents.
Montana Tech's coaches were showing him films of their star
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Don Heater
Donald Perry Heater (born June 22, 1950) is a former American football running back who played for St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL).
Heater played collegiate football for the Montana Tech Orediggers, where he set three ...
, but Jones was impressed with the unknown defensive lineman Alzado squaring off against Montana Tech's offense and passed back a favorable report to his team.
The Broncos ultimately drafted Alzado in the fourth round of the 1971 draft.[ Alzado went back to Yankton after his rookie season to get his college degree. He received a B.A. in physical education with an emphasis in secondary education. During his college years, Alzado participated in amateur boxing, and made it to the semi-finals of the 1969 Midwest Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament, held in Omaha.
]
NFL career
Denver Broncos
When the Broncos' starting right defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Rich "Tombstone" Jackson was injured in 1971, Alzado took over the job and went on to make various All-rookie teams for his contributions of 60 tackles and 8 sacks. The following year, Alzado began to get national attention as he racked up 10½ sacks to go with his 91 tackles. In 1973, Alzado posted excellent numbers as the Broncos had a winning record for the first time in team history with a 7–5–2 mark.
In 1974, Alzado gained more notice as one publication named him All-AFC, with his 13 sacks and 80 tackles (eight for a loss) he was recognized as one of the NFL's top defensive ends, along with Elvin Bethea
Elvin Lamont Bethea (born March 1, 1946) is a former American football defensive end who played his entire career with the Houston Oilers. He played for North Carolina A&T State University and was the first person from that school to be elected t ...
, Jack Youngblood
Herbert Jackson Youngblood III (born January 26, 1950) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He ...
, L. C. Greenwood
L. C. Henderson Greenwood (September 8, 1946September 29, 2013) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL).
College career
Born and raised in Canton, Mi ...
, Claude Humphrey
Claude B. Humphrey (June 29, 1944 – December 3, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles. Humphrey was inducted into t ...
, and Carl Eller; Bethea, Youngblood, Humphrey and Eller are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
. The Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
posted their second consecutive winning season, going 7–6–1.
The 1975 season brought change, as Alzado moved to defensive tackle. He responded with 91 tackles and 7 sacks. Alzado took a step backward as did the Broncos with a 6–8 record. On the first play of the 1976 season, Alzado blew out a knee and missed that campaign. The Broncos were 9–5 but SPORT magazine
''Sport'' was an American sports magazine. Launched in September 1946 by New York-based publisher Macfadden Publications, ''Sport'' pioneered the generous use of color photography – it carried eight full-color plates in its first edition.
'' ...
reported that 12 players, including Alzado, did not think the team could reach the playoffs with coach John Ralston. Ralston was replaced as coach by Red Miller
Robert "Red" Miller (October 31, 1927 – September 27, 2017) was an American football coach. He served as the head coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 to 1980. In his first year as Denver's head coach, h ...
for the 1977 season.
The 1977 season was the most successful in franchise history to that point; the Broncos had one of the NFL's best defenses, went 12–2 and then beat Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
and Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
, the team for which he later starred, in the playoffs to reach Super Bowl XII. In that game, played in , they were beaten soundly 27–10 by the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
. Still, the year was a big success for Alzado, who was voted consensus All-Pro and consensus All-AFC as well as winning the UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year. He also led the Broncos in sacks with 8, while making 80 tackles.
In 1978, the Broncos again went to the AFC playoffs, but lost the rematch in the first round to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
. Alzado had 77 tackles and 9 sacks and recorded his first NFL safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to risk management, the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are ...
. (Alzado recorded two more in his career, which ties him for second place all-time). He was 2nd team All-Pro and a consensus All-AFC pick. In 1979, he had a contract dispute, and the Broncos traded him to the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
.
Cleveland Browns
Alzado played well with the Browns, making second-team All-AFC in 1979 while playing defensive end. He had 80 tackles that year to go with his seven sacks. The following year, the Browns won the AFC Central division, losing to the Raiders in the Divisional round. Alzado led the Browns in sacks with nine, and was All-Pro and All-AFC. In 1981 he recorded 83 tackles and led the Browns in sacks with 8½. However, the Browns, who fell from 11–5 in 1980 to 5–11 in 1981, traded him to the Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
in 1982.
Los Angeles Raiders
Being discarded by the Browns rekindled a fire in Alzado, and he worked out with a vengeance. By the time Alzado joined the Raiders, the team had relocated to Los Angeles. In 1982, he was voted the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Although he played a full season in the strike-shortened 1982 season of 9 games, his play was seemingly so superior in 1982 that he garnered the award. Alzado recorded 7 sacks and 30 tackles while being voted All-AFC. This was the sixth season out of his first 12 campaigns that he received some sort of post-season honor.
He continued to perform well for the Raiders in the 1983 season, helping lead them to a Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
victory while recording 50 tackles and 7½ sacks. Alzado started at right end opposite future Hall of Fame inductee Howie Long
Howard Matthew Moses Long (born January 6, 1960) is an American sports analyst and former professional football player. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons as a defensive end, spending his entire career with the Raider ...
.
He also had an outstanding 1984 season with 63 tackles and 6 sacks, but the next year his tackle and sack totals dipped to 31 and 3 following a mid-season injury.
Alzado retired at the end of the 1985 season. He attempted a comeback in 1990, but injured a knee during training camp and was released. In 196 career games, he racked up 112.5 sacks, 24 forced fumbles, and nearly 1,000 tackles, while earning Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
honors in 1977 and 1978. Following his retirement from playing, Alzado worked as a part-time color analyst for NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's NFL coverage in 1988–89.
In 2018, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Alzado to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2018.
Style of play
The man whom ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
would later label a "...violent, combative player known for his short temper", inspired the league rule against throwing a helmet after having done so to an opponent's helmet. Peter Alzado, Lyle's brother, later identified the years of their youth – marked by an absent, alcoholic father and an over-worked mother — as the crucible for Alzado's unremittingly fierce style of play. "That violence that you saw on the field was not real stuff," his brother held. "Lyle used football as a way of expressing his anger at the world and at the way he grew up." Defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Greg Townsend
Gregory Townsend Sr. (born November 3, 1961) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders in the fourth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. Townsend also played for the Philadelph ...
, a teammate on the Raiders, contended that the savagery for which Alzado became noted represented part of a "split personality." "Off the field," remembered Townsend, "he was the gentle giant: so caring, so warm, so giving."
Outside football
Alzado was an amateur boxer and, in 1979, fought an exhibition match
An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, a scrimmage, a demonstration, a preseason game, a warmup match, or a preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the player's or ...
against Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
.
Alzado was involved in "countless youth organizations", receiving the Byron "Whizzer" White award for community service in 1977. He appeared in '' Stop the Madness'', a 1985 anti-drug music video sponsored by the Reagan administration
Ronald Reagan's tenure as the 40th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1981, and ended on January 20, 1989. Reagan, a Republican from California, took office following a landslide victory over D ...
.
Acting
Alzado pursued an acting career in both movies and television, appearing mostly in youth-oriented comedy and adventure roles. His most notable film roles include the bully construction worker in ''Ernest Goes to Camp
''Ernest Goes to Camp'' is a 1987 American comedy film directed by John Cherry and starring Jim Varney. It is the second film to feature the character of Ernest P. Worrell and was shot at Montgomery Bell State Park. It was also the first "Ernes ...
'' and the unstoppable killer in ''Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
''. He also appeared in '' Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All'' as a notorious bodyguard and rifleman. He played prison staff member Brawn in the 1990 film ''Club Fed
"Club Fed" is a derisive term used in North America to refer to a prison whose accommodations are seen as less severe than many other prisons. ''Club Fed'' is a pun on the "Club Med" chain of all-inclusive resorts. The 1999 movie ''Office Space' ...
'', and co-starred in the film ''Neon City
''Neon City'' (also known as ''Anno 2053'' in Italy, ''Neonski Grad'' in Serbia) is a 1991 Canadian post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Monte Markham and written by Jeff Begun and Ann Lewis Hamilton, under the pseudonym Buck Finch. ...
''.
On television, Alzado appeared in a number of mid-1980s commercials for ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' with "Jack", who tries to help him perform the commercial correctly. He played himself, wearing his Raiders uniform, in the ''Amazing Stories
''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...
'' episode "Remote Control Man" He also played himself in a 1988 episode of ''Small Wonder Small Wonder or variants may refer to:
Film, television and theatre
* ''Small Wonder'' (TV series), a 1985–1989 American sitcom
* '' A Small Wonder'', a 1966 Australian television film
* '' Small Wonders'', a 1995 documentary film
* ''Small Wond ...
'', and made a guest appearance on ''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show
''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'' is an American live-action/animated television series airing from September 4 to November 30, 1989, on syndication. The series is based on the video games ''Super Mario Bros.'' and '' Super Mario Bros. 2'' by ...
'' in 1989. Alzado starred in the sitcom ''Learning the Ropes
''Learning the Ropes'' is a Canadian-produced sitcom that aired on CTV in Canada and in syndication in the United States from September 1988 to March 1989. The series stars Lyle Alzado as Robert Randall, a teacher who works as a professional wre ...
'' as a high school teacher whose secret alter ego is a professional wrestler known as "The Masked Maniac," alongside numerous NWA Wrestling
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling promotion and former professional wrestling governing body operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc.
Founded in 1948, the NWA began as a governing body for a g ...
stars. Alzado appeared in the series premiere of the short-lived 1991 sitcom ''Good Sports
''Good Sports'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on the CBS network from January 10 to July 13, 1991, starring Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal. It was Fawcett's only scripted TV series after ''Charlie's Angels''.
Synopsis
The ...
'' with Ryan O'Neal
Ryan O'Neal (born April 20, 1941) is an American actor and former boxer. He trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera '' Peyton Place ...
and Farrah Fawcett, and in episodes of ''It's Garry Shandling's Show
''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' is an American sitcom that was initially broadcast on Showtime from September 10, 1986 to May 25, 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The series is notable for breaking the fourth wall.
S ...
'' and ''MacGyver
Angus "Mac" MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series ''MacGyver''. He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in the 2016 reboot.
In both p ...
''.
Steroid use and death
Alzado was one of the first major US sports figures to admit to using anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, also known more properly as anabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS), are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone (medication), testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that are structurally related ...
s. In the last year of his life, as he battled against the brain tumor
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...
that eventually caused his death, Alzado asserted that his steroid abuse directly led to his fatal illness. Alzado recounted his steroid abuse in an article in ''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'',
The role that anabolic steroids may have played in Alzado's death has been the subject of controversy. The lymphoma of the brain that took his life has not been associated clinically with steroid use. The claim was denounced as a myth in the 2008 documentary about steroid use, ''Bigger, Stronger, Faster
''Bigger, Stronger, Faster*'' is a 2008 documentary film directed by Chris Bell about the use of anabolic steroids as performance-enhancing drugs in the United States and how this practice relates to the American Dream. The film had its world p ...
''.
Lyle Alzado died on May 14, 1992, at age 43 after a battle with brain cancer
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...
. He was buried at River View Cemetery in Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
.
Hall of Fame
Alzado was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame ( he, יד לאיש הספורט היהודי, translit=Yad Le'ish HaSport HaYehudi) was opened July 7, 1981 in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around ...
in 2008.
Exhibition boxing record
See also
* List of notable brain tumor patients
A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of cells within the brain or inside the skull, and can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Just over half of all primary brain tumors are malignant; the rest are benign, though they may still be ...
* List of doping cases in sport
The following is an incomplete list of sportspeople who have been involved in doping offences. It contains those who have been found to have, or have admitted to having, taken Doping (sport), illegal performance-enhancing drugs, prohibited recrea ...
* List of select Jewish football players
References
External links
ESPN Classic bio
Lyle Alzado
at Raiders Online.Com
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alzado, Lyle
1949 births
1992 deaths
20th-century American male actors
Male actors from New York City
American male film actors
American boxers of Italian descent
American Conference Pro Bowl players
American football defensive ends
American football defensive tackles
American sportspeople in doping cases
American male boxers
American male television actors
Burials at River View Cemetery (Portland, Oregon)
Deaths from brain cancer in the United States
Cleveland Browns players
Denver Broncos players
Doping cases in American football
Jewish American sportspeople
Los Angeles Raiders players
National Football League announcers
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
People from Cedarhurst, New York
American people of Spanish descent
Yankton Greyhounds football players
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Jewish boxers
Jewish American male actors
Sportspeople from Nassau County, New York
Lawrence High School (Cedarhurst, New York) alumni
Boxers from New York City
20th-century American Jews
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn