Lynwood Alford
Encyclopedia
Lynwood A. Alford is a former professional American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
. Alford grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
. His father, Lynwood Alford, Sr. (born January 1944 in Beaver Falls), was a close childhood friend of Beaver Falls native Joe Namath
. Alford attended Aliquippa High School
where he was a standout in football. After graduating from high school in 1981, he attended Coffeyville (Kansas) Junior College
. In December 1982, he was offered a scholarship to play football at Syracuse University
. He played for Syracuse from 1983 to 1985. He subsequently played with the New York Jets
in 1987. After appearing in his first game in the NFL, Alford told The New York Times: "It was a dream come true. It was something that I'll never forget, something that I'll tell my grandchildren. I don't care if I was just on the kickoff return unit. I was in the game."
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Alford grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,987 at the 2010 census. It is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, and on the Beaver River, six miles from its confluence with the Ohio River...
. His father, Lynwood Alford, Sr. (born January 1944 in Beaver Falls), was a close childhood friend of Beaver Falls native Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
. Alford attended Aliquippa High School
Aliquippa High School
Aliquippa Jr./Sr. High School is located in the city of Aliquippa in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. in 2007, The Jr./Sr. High supports grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 465 students. By 2010 the grade 9–12 enrollment declined to 329 pupils with further decline projected through 2019...
where he was a standout in football. After graduating from high school in 1981, he attended Coffeyville (Kansas) Junior College
Coffeyville Community College
Coffeyville Community College is a community college located in Coffeyville, Kansas, United States. It was founded in 1923....
. In December 1982, he was offered a scholarship to play football at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. He played for Syracuse from 1983 to 1985. He subsequently played with the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1987. After appearing in his first game in the NFL, Alford told The New York Times: "It was a dream come true. It was something that I'll never forget, something that I'll tell my grandchildren. I don't care if I was just on the kickoff return unit. I was in the game."