- Lyle Alzado
Infobox NFLretired
caption=Lyle Alzado
position=Defensive End
number=77
birthdate=birth date|1949|4|3Brooklyn, New York
deathdate=death date and age|1992|5|14|1949|4|3Portland, Oregon
debutyear=1971
finalyear=1985
draftyear=1971
draftround=4
draftpick=79
college=Yankton
teams=
*Denver Broncos (1971-1978)
*Cleveland Browns (1979-1981)
*Los Angeles Raiders (1982-1985)
stat1label=Sacks
stat1value=112.5
stat2label=Games
stat2value=196
stat3label=Safeties
stat3value=3
nfl=ALZ415291
highlights=
*Pro Bowl (x2) (1977, 1978)
* All-Pro in 1977 and 1980
* 2nd Team All-Pro in 1978
* All-AFC in 1974, 77, 78, 80, 82
* 2nd Team All-AFC in 1979
* 1982 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
* 1977UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year
HOF=
CollegeHOF=Lyle Martin Alzado (
April 3 ,1949 –May 14 ,1992 ) was aNFL American football player most famous for his intense and intimidating style of play.Early life, high school and college football
He was born in
Brooklyn, New York , to an Italian-Spanish father and aJew ish mother. When he was 10, the family moved to Cedarhurst,Long Island . His father left when he was in Lawrence High School. He played high school football and was a Vardon Trohpy Candidate (defense) in High School for three years.He played college football forKilgore College , a junior college, for two years, and thenYankton College inSouth Dakota , where he was noticed by aDenver Broncos coach watching film. The Broncos drafted him in the fourth round, in 1971. 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 on secondary education.NFL career
During his career in the 1970s and 1980s, he played defensive line for the Los Angeles Raiders,
Cleveland Browns , andDenver Broncos . He was noted as a colorful and popular figure with the Broncos, Browns and Raiders.Denver Broncos
When the Broncos starting right
defensive end was injured in 1971, Alzado took over the job and never gave it up. Alzado made 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. Alzado especially shone in aMonday Night Football game that season.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 being recognized with the NFL's top defensive ends, such as
Elvin Bethea ,Jack Youngblood ,L.C. Greenwood ,Claude Humphrey , andCarl Eller . TheDenver Broncos posted their second consecutive winning season, going 7-6-1.The 1975 season brought change as Alzado moved to defensive tackle for the first time in the NFL. 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 that twelve players, including Alzado, did not think the team could reach the playoffs with Coach John Ralston. Ralston was replaced as coach by Red Miller 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 and went 12-2 and then beat
Pittsburgh Steelers andOakland Raiders in the playoffs to reach Super Bowl XII. In that game, played in New Orleans, they were beaten soundly 27-10 by theDallas Cowboys . 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.The Broncos again went to the AFC playoffs, losing the first round to the eventual champions Steelers. Alzado had 77 tackles and 9 sacks and recorded his first NFL safety. (Alzado would record two more in his career, which ties him in 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 .Cleveland Browns
He played well with the Browns, making second team All-AFC in 1979 while playing defensive end. Alzado had 80 tackles in 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 suffered some injuries, and at times his focus on football was diminished because of problems in his private life. Still, he recorded 83 tackles and led the Browns in sacks with 8½. However, the Browns traded him to the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982.
Los Angeles Raiders
Being discarded by the Browns rekindled a fire in Lyle, and he worked out with a vengeance. In 1982 Alzado was voted the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Although he played a full season in 1981, his play was seemingly so superior in 1982 that he garnered the award. In the strike-shortened 1982 season of 9 games, Alzado recorded 7 sacks and 30 tackles while being voted All-AFC. This was the sixth season out of his first twelve campaigns that he received some sort of post-season honor.
Lyle was one of the fiercest competitors the NFL has ever seen. In fact, due to Alzado throwing an opponent's helmet across the field, the league instituted a rule specifically banning the act. [ [http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Alzado_Lyle.html ESPN Classic bio of Alzado] ]
He continued to perform well for the Raiders in the 1983 season, helping lead them to a
Super Bowl that year while recording 50 tackles and 7½ sacks. He also had an outstanding 1984 season with 63 tackles and 6 sacks, but was injured part way through 1985 and retired at the end of the year. His tackle and sack totals dipped to 31 and 3.When asked about the NFL, Alzado told sportswriter Mike Morrow of the Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif., that "it ain't no fondue party." The comment drew league-wide attention.
By any definition it was an excellent career, nearing 1,000 tackles, recording 112½ sacks and forcing 24 fumbles. He played in two Super Bowls and emerged a winner once. He attempted a comeback in 1990, but injured a knee during training camp and was released. After this he retired for good. However, his admitted use of anabolic steroids from the time he was in college has tainted his career achievements for some.
teroids
Alzado is probably most remembered today for being one of the first major U.S. sports figures to admit using steroids. In the last years of his life, as he battled against the
brain tumor that eventually caused his death at the age of 43, Alzado asserted that his steroid abuse directly led to his fatal illness, but his physician stated it could not possibly be true. According to some reports, Alzado was using natural growth hormone, harvested from human corpses, as opposed to synthetic growth hormones. However, shortly before his death, Alzado recounted his steroid abuse in an article in "Sports Illustrated ". He said:cquote|I started taking anabolic steroids in 1969 and never stopped. It was addicting, mentally addicting. Now I'm sick, and I'm scared. Ninety percent of the athletes I know are on the stuff. We're not born to be 300 lbs or jump 30 ft. But all the time I was taking steroids, I knew they were making me play better. I became very violent on the field and off it. I did things only crazy people do. Once a guy sideswiped my car and I beat the hell out of him. Now look at me. My hair's gone, I wobble when I walk and have to hold on to someone for support, and I have trouble remembering things. My last wish? That no one else ever dies this way." [ [http://www.usefultrivia.com/celebrity_trivia/sports_celebrity_trivia_008a.html Lyle Alzado and Steroids ] ] Alzado is buried at River View Cemetery in
Portland, Oregon [ [http://www.riverviewcemetery.org/index2.html River View Cemetery] ]Outside of football
*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 " and the unstoppable killer in "Destroyer".
*He appeared in "Stop the Madness ", a 1985 anti-drug music video sponsored by theReagan administration .
*He made a guest appearance on "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show " in 1989.
*He was an amateur boxer, and in 1979 fought an exhibition match againstMuhammad Ali . [cite news
last = Vaughan
first = Kevin
title = Goodbye, Mile High
publisher = Denver Rocky Mountain News
url = http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/milehigh/1223mile0.shtml
accessdate =2008-03-26 ]
* Alzado appeared in the series premiere of the short-lived 1991 sitcomGood Sports withRyan O'neal andFarrah Fawcett .Learning the Ropes
Alzado starred in the sitcom "Learning the Ropes" where he played a high school principal whose secret alter ego is a professional wrestler known as "The Masked Maniac." NWA Wrestling stars
Ric Flair ,Ronnie Garvin ,Ron Simmons ,The Rock and Roll Express , Jimmy Garvin andThe Road Warriors appeared on the show.ee also
*
List of notable brain tumor patients
*List of doping cases in sport References
External links
* [http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Alzado_Lyle.html ESPN Classic bio]
* [http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=42662 Article about Alzado's exhibition boxing match against Muhammad Ali]
* [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1136737/1/index.htm Article about Alzado's comeback attempt in 1990]
* [http://www.dolfzine.com/page609.htm Article about Alzado's strong man performance and steroid use]
*imdb name|id=0023668|name=Lyle Alzado
*amg name|2:1278
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=4672 Lyle Alzado's Gravesite]
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