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Lance Rentzel, Former Cowboys Receiver, Dies at 82

Obituaries place his 1960s on-field success against later criminal cases that ended his standing in the league.

Overview

  • Obituaries reported that Lance Rentzel died on Sunday, June 7, at age 82.
  • He was a second-round pick out of the University of Oklahoma and began his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings.
  • As a rookie in 1965 he returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown, a mark that stood until 2007.
  • Rentzel broke through in Dallas with three straight 900-plus-yard seasons and led the NFL with 12 touchdown catches in 1969.
  • Publicized indecent-exposure incidents in 1970, probation and mandated psychiatric care followed by a 1973 marijuana conviction and an indefinite NFL suspension severely damaged his career and reputation.