James Lofton becomes broadcaster after HOF NFL career
SAN DIEGO (BVM) – James Lofton was one of the best wide receivers to ever do it during his time in the NFL. The speedy wideout made his mark over 16 NFL seasons, retiring as the all-time leader in receiving yardage. Having been in and around the game for so many years, it didn’t surprise many when Lofton went from the field to the sidelines and from the sidelines to the broadcast booth, where he still works today. While Lofton may not be a player in the NFL anymore, football fans can still easily find the Pro Football Hall of Famer on Sundays.
Early years and high school football
Unlike other Hall of Fame athletes, Lofton didn’t start out blessed with prototypical size or amazing athleticism. Instead, he was an undersized sophomore quarterback. But Lofton worked and eventually became the 6-foot-1, 175-pound starting quarterback for Washington Prep High School in Los Angeles, helping the Generals finish 4-4 as a senior in 1973. A standout in track, Lofton was the 1974 California Interscholastic Federation state champ in the long jump with a jump of 24 feet, 3 ½ inches.
While he had athleticism, Lofton didn’t draw the attention of top in–state programs like UCLA or USC as he was more of a speedier, running quarterback than the traditional dropback style of the day. Instead, Lofton was recruited by Stanford University, a middle-of-the-pack PAC-8 team at the time.
Stanford Cardinal
At Stanford, Lofton became a track star immediately, becoming a three-time All-American in the long jump, a two-time Pac-10 Champion in the long jump, the Stanford record holder in the long jump, won a share of the all-time school record in the 200 meters, No 6 on the all-time in the program in the 400 meters and No. 7 on the all-time for the program in the 100 meters. However, in football, it took Lofton some more time to get acclimated.
Lofton didn’t play at all as a freshman and first saw the field as a true sophomore where he recorded three catches for 74 yards. As a junior, Lofton was used a bit more with 12 catches for 211 yards and four touchdown receptions. However, it was during his senior year when the wideout broke out.
During his final year in 1977, Lofton finished the campaign with 53 catches for 1,010 yards and 14 touchdown receptions. His 14 touchdown catches are still the most in a single season in Cardinal program history while his 1,010 receiving yards rank No. 9 for a single season. His career 18 touchdown catches also places him in a tie for sixth.
The two-sport athlete was elected into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame for both track and field and football in 1995.
NFL career
Lofton entered the 1978 NFL Draft and was selected quickly as the Green Bay Packers picked him in the first round with the No. 6 overall pick. He is the highest-selected wide receiver in the Packers‘ long history.
The speedy wide receiver spent his first nine seasons in Green Bay accumulating 530 catches for 9,656 yards and 50 total touchdowns (49 receiving, one rushing) in 136 games, all starts. Over those nine years, Lofton was named to seven Pro Bowls and recorded five 1,000-yard receiving campaigns. He was also selected second-team All-Pro three times and first-team All-Pro in 1981.
On April 13, 1987, the Packers traded Lofton to the Los Angeles Raiders for third- and fourth-round draft choices after off-the-field issues plagued his career. Lofton had two below-average years with the Raiders from 1987 to 1988, recording 69 catches for 1,429 yards and five scores in 28 games, all starts.
In 1989, Lofton joined the Buffalo Bills where he would have a career resurgence. Over four seasons in Buffalo, Lofton recorded 151 catches for 2,736 yards and 21 touchdowns while appearing in three Super Bowls and going to the Pro Bowl in 1991.
Lofton played his final season in 1993 for the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, playing nine games for Philadelphia and one for Los Angeles recording 14 catches for 183 yards. He retired following the season with his 14,004 career-receiving yardage mark an NFL best at the time of his retirement, while his 43 games with 100 or more yards receiving ranked third.
The wideout had a number of impressive accolades on his resume including being the Lofton first NFL player to score a touchdown in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, becoming the oldest player in league history at the time to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season at age 35 and being named to the 1980s All-Decade Team.
Lofton was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
Post-playing careers
From 1999-2001, Lofton first dipped his toe into the broadcasting world as he served as a color analyst and sideline reporter for NFL coverage on Westwood One radio. In 2002, Lofton switched gears and began coaching, joining the San Diego Chargers staff as the team’s wide receivers coach.
Lofton served with the Chargers from 2002-07 before being let go during the 2008 offseason. In 2008, Lofton was hired as the Oakland Raiders wide receivers coach where he would serve one season.
In 2009, Lofton rejoined Westwood One radio to cover the Sunday Night Football broadcasts before he was moved to a TV position on the NFL on CBS in 2017. Lofton still serves for CBS Sports today, partnering with Andrew Catalon.
While he may no longer be racing down the sidelines for deep passes anymore, Lofton is clearly still in love with the game of football. Though fans may not see him catch touchdowns or outrun defensive backs, Lofton will continue to bring joy to NFL viewers for years to come through his work in the broadcast booth.
