Legendary Alabama Crimson Tide Linebacker Woodrow Lowe Dies at Age 71

The University of Alabama football program lost another legend on Thursday as College Football Hall of Fame linebacker Woodrow Lowe died after a long illness. He was 71.

Per the Ledger-Enquirer, Lowe died Thursday at home in Collierville, Tenne., while receiving hospice care.

"Woodrow Lowe was one of the finest linebackers ever to play the game, and we are deeply saddened to learn of his passing," Archie Manning, Chairman of the National Football Foundation, said in a statment. "A three-time All-American and one of the most decorated linebackers in college football history, he defined excellence at one of the top programs in the country.

"After his playing days, he dedicated himself to shaping young lives as a coach and mentor, carrying forward the lessons of excellence and dedication that defined his own career. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the entire Alabama football community."

June 9, 1954 in Columbus, Ga, Lowe grew up in Phenix City, just a few miles from Auburn, and was set to attend a game there and check out the Tigers with a friend when fate intervened with a flat tire that likely changed the direction of his life. He never made it to the Plains.

“It’s not just one thing; It’s not one single thing,” Lowe told Alabama Crimson Tide/BamaCentral about playing for the Crimson Tide. “It’s more of a temperament, a mindset. You have to throw words like tradition and legacy into that equation. When you are a member of the University of Alabama football team, I don’t care where you are, people know you. I’ve been in California, Mexico, and Japan, you’d be surprised at the people that know about the Crimson Tide.

“We have a tradition here in the state of Alabama, I think, for the most part, that if you are a Crimson Tider or you played for the University of Alabama, you pretty much know what football is all about. That association is an honorable thing to be tied to. I don’t care how old I get or how long I live, it certainly is an honor to have played for the Crimson Tide. It really is.”

Lowe was just the second Crimson Tide player to be a three-time All-American selection, which he earned from 1973 to 1975 under Paul W. "Bear" Bryant. Statistically, his best year was as a sophomore, when he had 134 tackles, including six for a loss, and three interceptions to help lead Alabama to the national championship.

“There were a lot of great players on that football team,” he said. “We had a lot of great defensive players in Leroy Cook, Mike Christian, Skip Kubelius, Mike Washington, and Tyrone King. We had a great, great offensive team. We only lost one game that year. For the most part, the best I can reflect upon, there was no individualism. We were a team and we had high expectations. We were never without high expectations. You hear it early, when you first get on campus, what football meant to the great state of Alabama and to this university. That part of it was a given. The expectation level was very high.

“One of the games I remember back then was the game we lost. We lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship. It’s ironic. That ballgame was decided by them being able to return a kickoff. I think we dominated pretty much everything else. We split in the national championship, but that right there was the game that I remember the most.”

During his four years, Alabama never failed to win the Southeastern Conference championship, and played in two Sugar Bowls, one Orange Bowl, and a Cotton Bowl.

“We had a very prolific offense, running the ball and throwing play-action passes and we were a great defensive team too,” Lowe added. “When we went on the field, we just expected to win.”

Drafted in the fifth round by the San Diego Chargers, Lowe played 11 years in the National Football League. He started more games for the Chargers than any other defensive player in team history (151 out of a possible 165), and was made a team captain.

After retiring, Lowe got into coaching, including at the NFL level where he was a defensive assistant for both the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. He also coached at the collegiate level for five years at UAB beginning in 2001, and high schools including his alma matter, Smiths Station, Russell County and Selma.

But two things in particular about Lowe have stood the test of time.

First, although it took a little longer than expected, Lowe was enshrined in the College Football Fall of Fame in 2010. His class included 16 players and coaches John Robinson and Dick MacPherson. Among them were two Heisman Trophy winners, Notre Dame’s Tim Brown and Miami’s Gino Torretta — whom Alabama beat in the 1993 Sugar Bowl to win a national championship.

“He was consistently excellent throughout his playing career and his induction into the Hall of Fame is very appropriate,” said former athletic director Mal Moore, who was an assistant coach during Lowe’s career. “He put together a career that set a standard that carries on to this day.”

Finally, the 134 tackles still stands as the Alabama single-season record, even though the Crimson Tide plays more games nowadays. No one was more surprised than the former player himself.

“We have some great football players who have attended the University of Alabama for the last 30 to 40 years,” Lowe said. “My idol before I got to the university was Lee Roy Jordan. I knew if I could just live up to his expectations, I would be okay and be halfway decent. For that record to stand as long as it has, that means there have been a lot of great defensive players at the University of Alabama in regards to no one single individual player on the team. Even back in 1973, we had a lot of great players on the defensive side of the football.

“I never thought the record would last this long. It’s an honor, I must say. The game has changed a lot since then, its more wide open and spread out. They don’t run the ball as much as they used to run when I was a player. You also get the opportunity to make a lot of tackles that way. With today’s passing game, the spread offense and now the pistol, it’s harder for defensive players to rack up that many tackles, or just make big plays. I do know this: the part of the game that has not changed is the impact a good defense can have over the offense. I know you have heard the saying that ‘Offense wins games and defense wins championships.’ I am believer in that.”

Lowe's passing came just a couple of months following another Crimson Tide legendary linebacker from the Bryant era, Lee Roy Jordan, who went on to play 14 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 1963 to 1976.

One of the all-time greats to wear the Crimson and White. Forever a legend.

Woodrow Lowe pic.twitter.com/5mzZiX2cZr
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 6, 2025

College Football Hall of Fame Bio: Class of 2009

The second player in Alabama history to be a three-time first-team All-America (1973, 1974-consensus, 1975), Woodrow Lowe led the Crimson Tide to a undefeated regular seasons in 1973 and 1974. The 1973 Churchman’s National Defensive Sophomore of the Year, Lowe set an Alabama single season record with 134 tackles. That season the Crimson Tide played in the Sugar Bowl. His junior year, Lowe earned consensus All-America honors and led the Crimson Tide to a third straight SEC title and a birth in the Orange Bowl. In his final season, the linebacker again earned first-team All America honors and served as team captain as the Crimson Tide wrapped up their fourth straight SEC title and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Following his senior season, Lowe played in the 1976 Senior Bowl and entered the NFL Draft. Taken in the fifth round by the San Diego Chargers in 1976, Lowe missed only one game in 11 seasons with the Chargers and tallied 21 interceptions. He returned four of those for touchdowns. Named to Alabama’s First Team All-Decade Team and a Second Team All-Century selection, Lowe was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Bio: Class of 2001

He became a high school star at Central-Phenix City High School. He lettered four years at linebacker for the University of Alabama and was named All-SEC and All-American for three years (1973-1975). He led the Crimson Tide in tackles, was captain of the team, and was voted to the All-Decade Team during a dominant period for Alabama football. He played on the 1973 National Championship team. He played in two Sugar Bowls, one Orange Bowl, one Cotton Bowl and the Senior Bowl. Drafted in the fifth round by San Diego, he had an 11-year career with the Chargers. He played in 164 out of a possible 180 games, starting in 163 at outside linebacker, more than any Charger defender in history. He was the team captain, gaining All-AFC honors by UPI and was a Pro Bowl pick in 1981. He was elected to the Chargers 40th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2000.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Some of this post originated from "100 Things Crimson tide Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die," published by Triumph Books.