Pro Football Hall of Famer and Chargers legend, Lance Alworth, was one of 10 wide receivers named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
Originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1962 NFL Draft and by the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League (AFL) Draft of the same year, Alworth's rights were traded by the Raiders to San Diego, where he would play nine of his 11 professional seasons. He played his final two with the Dallas Cowboys.
Known as "Bambi" for his smoothness and grace on the field, Alworth is credited by many with revolutionizing the wide receiver position, as pundits note the game wouldn't be what it is today if it were not for him.
In his 11 seasons as a flanker, Alworth caught 542 passes for 10,266 yards (18.94 average) and 85 touchdowns. Through his time with the Bolts, he averaged more than 50 catches and 1,000 yards per season. He had seven straight seasons (1963-69) posting at least 1,000 receiving yards.
Alworth was voted All-AFL seven times and played in seven AFL All-Star games. He helped lead the Bolts to the 1963 AFL Championship where the team beat the Boston Patriots, 51-10.
In 1977 he was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame and in 1978, Alworth became the first AFL player enshrined in Canton. Additionally, he is one of only four Chargers players to have their numbers retired by the organization.
Alworth joins, tight end Kellen Winslow and linebacker Junior Seau as Chargers on the NFL 100 All-Time Team. Players were voted in by a 26-person blue-ribbon panel made up of coaches, team and front office executives, former players such as former Chargers QB and Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, and members of the media with a deep appreciation for the history of the league, its teams and players, as well as a commitment to research.
