Charley Cowan

Charles Edward "Charlie" Cowan (June 19, 1938 – April 29, 1998) was an American professional football offensive tackle and guard who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Los Angeles Rams from 1961 to 1975. He played in three Pro Bowls and was second team All Pro twice.

Early life Cowan was born on June 19, 1938, in Braeholm, West Virginia. He attended the segregated Buffalo High School in Accoville, Logan County, West Virginia. He played fullback and end on the school's football team. Future American Football League (AFL) star receiver Lionel Taylor was three years ahead of Cowan at Buffalo High. There is a street named after Cowan in Logan County, "Cowan Avenue".

Taylor and Cowan only played one year together at NMHU, but it was Taylor that led Cowan to the school. After finishing high school, Cowan had left West Virginia State University. When Taylor (who had also left West Virginia State years earlier) learned this from Cowan, Taylor called his NMHU coach Don Gibson and urged him to pursue Cowan. The coach convinced Cowan's parents it would be a good move, and Cowan came to NMHU. Cowan and Scibelli would play their entire careers together on the Rams offensive line from 1961 through 1975. Ken Iman was at center from 1965 to 1974, and Scibelli at right guard from 1961 to 1975.

In that 1961 to 1975 span, the Rams made the playoffs five times (1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975), reaching the NFC championship game of the 1974–75 NFL playoffs and the 1975–76 NFL playoffs, but losing to the Minnesota Vikings and to the Dallas Cowboys, respectively. In the 1974 divisional round, the Rams defeated the Washington Redskins, as Cowan was successful against the opposing the right defensive end Verlon Biggs. In the 1975 divisional round, Doug France started in his place as the Rams defeated the St. Louis Cardinals. Cowan came back to play against the Cowboys, his final game, as the Rams could not get past them.

Cowan was selected three times to play in the Pro Bowl, 1968-1970.

At the time he retired in 1975, his 206 games as a Ram were the most in team history. He was surpassed the next season by longtime teammate Merlin Olsen, a Hall of fame defensive tackle. They were both later surpassed by Hall of fame offensive lineman Jackie Slater, who played 20 years and 259 regular season games for the Rams.

Honors Cowan has been inducted into the NMHU Hall of Fame (2002), the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame (2013), and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame (2019).

Death Cowan died in May 1998 of kidney failure, from which he had been suffering for a decade, undergoing dialysis for years and facing deep financial burdens.