Lyle Alzado

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Lore & Background

Alzado's tenure with the Broncos was marked by dramatic highs and a pivotal move that reshaped his career. In 1976, he suffered a blown-out knee on the first play of the season, missing the entire campaign despite the team reaching a 9–5 record. The following year under new coach Red Miller, the Broncos achieved their best record to date at 12–2. Alzado was named consensus All-Pro and UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year, recording 8 sacks and 80 tackles as they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders in the playoffs to reach Super Bowl XII. Although they lost 27–10 to Dallas, it remained a monumental year for Alzado. However, a contract dispute in 1979 led to his trade to the Cleveland Browns, ending his initial run with Denver after just eight seasons.

In Their Own Story

The atmosphere was electric during the 1977 season as Alzado helped lead the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance. Known for an unremittingly fierce style of play that he later admitted was a way of expressing anger from his youth, Alzado dominated opponents with a physicality that inspired league rule changes regarding helmet throwing. His brother Peter noted, "That violence that you saw on the field was not real stuff... Lyle used football as a way of expressing his anger at the world." On the field, he was a force of nature; in 1974, he recorded 13 sacks and was recognized alongside future Hall of Famers like Jack Youngblood. Even after moving to defensive tackle in 1975, he posted 91 tackles and 7 sacks. His intensity peaked during the playoff run where he helped dismantle the Raiders, a team he would later join in Los Angeles, before falling short against the Cowboys in New Orleans.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking Alzado's career path, note that his time with Denver began in 1971 as a fourth-round draft pick from Yankton College. He started at right defensive end in 1971 when starter Rich "Tombstone" Jackson was injured, recording 60 tackles and 8 sacks. By 1974, he was an All-AFC selection with 13 sacks. A position switch to defensive tackle occurred in 1975. His career trajectory shifted after a knee injury in 1976 and subsequent trade in 1979 due to contract disputes. He later returned to prominence with the Los Angeles Raiders, winning Super Bowl XVIII. While he earned Pro Bowl honors in 1977 and 1978 during his Denver years, his legacy is also defined by his public admission of steroid use, which he claimed caused his fatal brain tumor.

Did You Know?

• Alzado was discovered by Denver scout Stan Jones after the scout's car broke down, leading him to watch a game at Montana Tech where Alzado impressed as an unknown player.
• He reached the semi-finals of the 1969 Midwest Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament during his college years.
• Alzado recorded two career NFL safeties, tying him for fifth place all-time in that statistic.
• He was named to the Professional Football Researchers Association Hall of Very Good Class of 2018.