Lance Rentzel came to the Dallas Cowboys in 1967 after a failed debut with the Minnesota Vikings, where he was relegated to special teams duties. But the legendary Tom Landry took a shot on the wide receiver and converted him to a flanker. The position switch seemed to have flipped a switch; Rentzel looked like the next big name at wide receiver for the Cowboys.

However, only four years after he began this stint, it all came crashing down on Rentzel after a string of controversies. On June 7, the Dallas community got to learn of the passing of this troubled star.

Lance Rentzel passed away aged 82, per Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News. He is survived by his two brothers, Del and Chris, and his daughter, Jenny.

“To all who knew him,” his obituary read, per Sherrington, “Lance was larger than life – hilariously funny, unfailingly optimistic and happy, warm in spirit, and deeply loyal. He formed many close relationships over the years, most notably the enduring bonds that he shared with his teammates.”

Rentzel was drafted by the Vikings in the second round of the 1965 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma, where he had earned first-team All-Big Eight honors. He was known for making big plays, like the consecutive long passes he caught against the Texas Longhorns in his first two snaps of college football, per the Oklahoman. The latter of them went for a touchdown. He was drafted by the Vikings as the 23rd pick in 1965.

As a flanker, he was paired with the legendary Bob Hayes in Dallas, and Rentzel suddenly found himself in the limelight. From 1967 to 1970, Rentzel recorded 3,521 yards and 31 touchdowns in 53 games. In 1969, he led the league with 22.3 yards per reception and 12 touchdowns.

Rentzel is known for a great catch in the NFL Championship Game in 1967, also known as the Ice Bowl. He caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from running back Dan Reeves to put Dallas ahead of the Green Bay Packers in the fourth quarter. However, the Cowboys were defeated 17-21.

The late WR played nine seasons in the NFL and made 268 receptions totaling 4,826 yards and 38 touchdowns in 115 games. The latter half of his career, however, was marred by serious legal issues.

A look at the complicated half of Lance Rentzel’s career

In 1970, Rentzel indecently exposed himself to a minor in Texas, after already having been booked for the offense in Minnesota. It became a huge talking point in the Cowboys community, forcing the team to trade him away to the Los Angeles Rams. The court had mandated him to seek psychological help and handed him a five-year probation.

According to his doctor’s instructions, Rentzel tried to explain his side of the story in his autobiography, When All the Laughter Died in Sorrow.

Rentzel’s Rams chapter ended on another sordid note. He was booked by the authorities for possession of marijuana in 1973. And since he was already on probation, then-NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended him for the entire 1973 season. He returned for one final year in 1974 before retiring.

After football, Rentzel moved into government contracting and technology, commanding the computer operations for the Republican National Convention in Dallas in 1984. Lance Rentzel had since lived a quiet life, but fans who watched his downfall would know the sheer talent that went to waste because of the controversies.