Lance Alworth was a generational receiver; Where is he now?
SAN DIEGO (BVM) –Nicknamed “Bambi” for his elite speed, Lance Alworth spent his career torching cornerbacks.
The 6-foot, 185-pound receiver was one of the league’s best throughout the 1960s and is regarded as one of the greatest Chargers of all time.
Prior to his pro career
Alworth grew up in the Houston area where he not only excelled at football but baseball as well. He received contracts to play for the Yankees and the Pirates but ultimately decided to pursue his football career by taking the next step at the University of Arkansas.
He starred for the Razorbacks being a part of three Southwest Champion teams and also was a member of the track and field team in Fayetteville. By the end of his collegiate career, Alworth had become one of the greatest players in the school’s history and still is to this day.
When it was time for Alworth to take the next step in his football career and play professionally, he had to make a choice. He left Arkansas in 1962 when the American Football League was a competitor to the National Football League.
Alworth was drafted No. 8 in the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers and No. 9 in the AFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, but his rights were traded to San Diego for a package of Hunter Enis, Bo Roberson and Gene Selawski. Alworth ultimately decided to play in the AFL for the Chargers.
NFL career
He quickly became a star, emerging as one of the league’s top receivers. He broke out as a second-year player in 1963 with 61 receptions, over 1,200 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns, helping lead San Diego to an AFL Championship that season.
Alworth continued to dominate, even when the two leagues merged in 1970.
The only man to reach 5,000 receiving yards faster than @obj? @Chargers legend Lance Alworth.
No shame in that, Odell…
Lance Alworth was a beast. pic.twitter.com/xz42ao8FVr
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) October 23, 2018
In 1971 he was traded to Dallas, where he played out the final two seasons of his career.
There, he experienced another championship when the Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.
Alworth finished his career with 542 receptions, over 10,000 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, six years after his retirement.
Where is Alworth now?Now 82 years old, Alworth remains in the San Diego area where he became a star. The last known interview that he has done was in 2013, conducted by Annie Heilbrunn. But for the past decade, Alworth has been lowkey and is enjoying retirement.
