Copyright Men's Journal
Woodrow Lowe, who racked up All-American honors at the University of Alabama in the 1970s before an 11-year NFL career, passed away Thursday at the age of 71. Lowe died at his home in Collierville, Tennessee while receiving hospice care, according to the Ledger-Enquirer. A star at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama in the 1970s, Lowe was also the brother of Phenix City mayor Eddie Lowe. “Woodrow was a great older brother,” Eddie Lowe told AL.com. “He pushed me, not just in football, but in life. He was pushed himself, and he passed that down to me. He was a good person, a very good person. He loved people and gave of himself his entire life. He lived a good life.” A star in his home state After leaving Phenix City, Lowe enrolled at the University of Alabama in 1972. He was member of four SEC championship teams with the Crimson Tide, and was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection. The hard-hitting linebacker also earned first-team All-America in 1973 and 1975 and was a consensus selection in 1974. Lowe is still one of only two Tide players to be named first-team All-American three times, along with Cornelius Bennett (1984-86) Lowe was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and is also a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Lowe finds a longtime home in San Diego Drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 1976 NFL Draft, Lowe found a home out west. He was a full-time starter from his rookie season, and missed only one game in his entire 11-year run with the Chargers. Lowe finished his tenure with 21 interceptions, including five during the 1979 season, and four INT returns for touchdowns, both high totals for a linebacker. He added 26 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries. Lowe was eventually named to the San Diego Chargers’ 40th and 50th anniversary teams. One door closes, another opens After his playing days ended, Lowe got into coaching. He first spent six season as an assistant with the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs before returning to Central-Phenix City. As an assistant at his alma mater, he helped Central-Phenix City win the state championship in 1993. Lowe eventually was a head coach at Selma, Smiths Station and Central-Phenix City, going 55-42 overall.
