Lance Rentzel

Thomas Lance Rentzel (born October 14, 1943) is a former American football flanker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Rams.

He played college football at the University of Oklahoma.

Rentzel was a four-sport star at Oklahoma City’s exclusive Casady School, playing football, basketball, baseball, and running track.

He was an All-American high school halfback and the valedictorian of his graduating class.

Rentzel accepted a football scholarship from the University of Oklahoma under Bud Wilkinson.

As a sophomore, he came off the injured list too late and had to hitchhike to Texas to play in the third game against the #2 ranked Longhorns.

He had two long receptions in the game, one for a 34-yard touchdown.

As a junior, Rentzel posted 59 carries for 387 yards (second on the team) with a 6.6-yard average and two touchdowns.

He was a versatile all-around halfback and was known for his open-field speed and propensity for big plays rushing, receiving passes, and returning kicks.

During his senior year in 1964, Rentzel was the team's top pass catcher (268 receiving yards) and punter (40.5-yard average).

His 491 rushing yards ranked second on the team.

In the Big Eight Conference, his 5.4 rushing average was second only to Gale Sayers.

He also was the conference's No. 3 pass receiver, as well as No. 2 punter.

Rentzel was one of four Sooners players who missed the 1965 Gator Bowl game against Florida State University.

Rentzel, offensive lineman Ralph Neely, Jim Grisham, and Wes Skidgel had signed with professional teams before the game and were ruled ineligible for the contest.

Florida State won, 36–19, on the strength of four touchdown catches by Fred Biletnikoff.

Rentzel was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round (23rd overall) of the 1965 NFL draft.

He was also selected in the sixth round (48th overall) of the 1965 AFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.

Rentzel played sparingly as a backup running back due to recurring injuries and his contributions came mainly as a kickoff returner during his first two seasons.

In 1966, Rentzel played in only nine games due to ankle injuries.

He averaged 20.1 yards on nine kickoff returns and caught two passes for 10 yards.

At the time the accusation was made, the press revealed a nearly forgotten incident that happened when, as a Minnesota Viking in September 1966, he was charged with exposing himself to two young girls in St. Paul, and pled guilty to the reduced charge of disorderly conduct.

He was not sentenced to jail, but merely ordered to seek psychiatric care.

Because of the nationwide reaction and publicity from the scandal, his wife, singer and actress Joey Heatherton, divorced him shortly thereafter.

Rentzel asked the Cowboys to place him on the inactive list so he could devote his time to settling his personal affairs.

He missed the last three games of the regular season, including the Cowboys' playoff drive to its narrow Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts.

Rentzel finished with 28 receptions (second on the team) for 556 yards (second on the team) with a 19.9-yard average and five touchdowns.

On May 2, 1967, Rentzel was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third-round draft choice (#76-Mike McGill).

The Cowboys converted Rentzel into a flanker, where he became not only an immediate starter over Pete Gent but also one of the best wideouts in the NFL.

Rentzel led the team in receptions with 58 for 996 yards (two yards less than Bob Hayes).

If Rentzel had gotten four more yards and Hayes two more, it would have been the first time in NFL history that a team had two 1,000-yard wide receivers.

In the tenth game of the season, against the Washington Redskins, Rentzel had 13 receptions for 233 yards.

In 1968, Rentzel led the Cowboys in receptions (54) and receiving yards (1,009) with an 18.7-yard average and five touchdowns.

Also that year, Rentzel recorded a one-off single, "Lookin' Like Somethin' That Ain't" b/w "Beyond Love" on Columbia Records; the record managed to make the charts at WKY radio in Oklahoma City, but was not a national hit.

In 1969, Rentzel led the Cowboys in receptions (43), receiving yards (960), and average receiving yards (22.3).

Rentzel tied for the NFL lead in touchdowns scored (13) in 1969.

In 1970, Rentzel was leading the team in receiving yards, when he was arrested for exposing himself to a 10-year-old girl.

On May 19, 1971, Rentzel was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for tight end Billy Truax and wide receiver Wendell Tucker.

Rentzel set the record for the longest kickoff return (101 yards) in franchise history as a rookie, which was broken by Aundrae Allison's 104-yarder in 2007 and Cordarrelle Patterson's 109-yarder in 2013.

The 13 receptions set the franchise record, and stood for 40 years until it was broken by Jason Witten in 2007). The 233 yards were good enough for 3rd on the team at the time (now 6th). He also starred in the 1967 NFL Championship, known since as the "Ice Bowl", scoring a fourth-quarter, go-ahead touchdown later negated by the Packers' game-clinching drive.