Lyle Alzado was a professional football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. He was known for his aggressive playing style and his ability to disrupt opposing offenses. Alzado played for three different teams during his career: the Denver Broncos, the Cleveland Browns, and the Los Angeles Raiders.
Alzado began his football career in college, playing for Yankton College in South Dakota. He then transferred to Kilgore College in Texas before ultimately ending up at Texas A&M University. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 1971 NFL Draft.
Alzado quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the Broncos' defensive line. He was known for his intensity and his ability to get to the quarterback. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1977 and 1978 and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1977.
In 1982, Alzado signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent. He continued to play at a high level, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1982 and 1983. However, his time in Cleveland was marred by controversy. In 1983, he was suspended for six games for punching an opponent in the face during a game. He was also fined $12,500 for the incident.
After three seasons in Cleveland, Alzado signed with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1985. He played two seasons with the Raiders before retiring after the 1986 season. During his time with the Raiders, he was part of the team that won Super Bowl XVIII in 1984.
Alzado's career was not without controversy. He admitted to using steroids during his playing days and later became an advocate for drug education and prevention. He also suffered from health problems later in life, including brain cancer, which he attributed to his steroid use.
Despite the controversies and health issues, Alzado is remembered as one of the most dominant defensive players of his era. He finished his career with 112.5 sacks and was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1980s. He was posthumously inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame in 2019.
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