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Alabama All-American, College Football Hall of Famer Woodrow Lowe passes away

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby: Charlie Potter4 hours agoCharlie_Potter
Alabama LB Woodrow Lowe
Alabama LB Woodrow Lowe (Courtesy of the Bryant Museum)

Alabama All-American linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer Woodrow Lowe died on Thursday at his home in Tennessee while receiving hospice care, per the Ledger-Enquirer.

Lowe was 71 years old.

A star at Central-Phenix City High School, Lowe signed to play for legendary head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama in 1972. He lettered four years in Tuscaloosa from 1972-75 and was named an All-American three consecutive seasons (1973-75), becoming just the second player in Crimson Tide football history to accomplish that feat. He won four SEC titles.

As a sophomore in 1973, Lowe set an Alabama single-season record with 134 tackles and led the team to a national championship. During his illustrious college career, Lowe played in two Sugar Bowls, one Orange Bowl and one Cotton Bowl. Selected as a team captain as a senior, Lowe finished his time with the Tide as the all-time leading tackler with 315 stops. 

Lowe was later voted to Alabama’s All-Decade Team during the dominant 1970s and was a second-team selection on the Crimson Tide’s All-Century Team. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

“I am very thankful for having the opportunity to attend the University of Alabama,” Lowe said in 2009. “I am so humbled and grateful to be in the system that Coach Bryant produced. I am just kind of speechless because it has never been about me at the University; it has always been about the team. There are a lot of other people that I owe credit to and give credit to. It is truly an honor to be inducted, but there are a lot of people that had a lot to do with me being successful.”

After his college career, Lowe played in the 1976 Senior Bowl and was selected in Round 5 of the 1976 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He played 11 seasons with the Chargers and started 163 games at outside linebacker, more than any defender in franchise history. In those 11 years, Lowe intercepted 21 passes and returned four of them for touchdowns.

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