Rentzel was a four-sport star at Casady School in Oklahoma City, and also an All-American high school halfback. He was the valedictorian at Oklahoma City’s exclusive Casady School. He accepted a football scholarship from the University of Oklahoma under famous coach 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. As a junior, he posted 59 carries for 387 yards with a 6.6-yard average and 2 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, he was the team's top pass catcher and punter. 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. He was one of four Sooners players who missed the 1965 Gator Bowl game against Florida State University. Rentzel, offensive linemanRalph 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 4 touchdown catches by Fred Biletnikoff.
Professional career
Minnesota Vikings
Rentzel was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 1965 NFL draft. He was also selected in the sixth round 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. Rentzel set the record for the longest kickoff return 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. In 1966, Rentzel only played in nine games due to ankle injuries. He averaged 20.1 yards on nine kickoff returns and caught two passes for 10 yards. On May 2, 1967, Rentzel was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third-round draft choice.
Dallas Cowboys
1967 season
In 1967, 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. If Rentzel had gotten 4 more yards and Hayes 2 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 against the Washington Redskins, Rentzel set a franchise record with 13 receptions for 223 yards. 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.
In 1968, Rentzel led the Cowboys in receptions and receiving yards with an 18.7-yard average and 5 touchdowns. In 1969, Rentzel led the Cowboys in receptions, receiving yards, and average receiving yards. Rentzel tied for the NFL lead in touchdowns scored in 1969.
In 1970, he was leading the team in receiving yards, when he was arrested for exposing himself to a 10-year-old girl. 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 pleaded 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 would miss the last three games of the regular season, including the Cowboys' playoff drive to its narrow Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts. He finished with 28 receptions for 556 yards with a 19.9-yard average and 5 touchdowns.
On May 19, 1971, Rentzel was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for tight endBilly Truax and wide receiverWendell Tucker. Head coachTom Landry said after the trade, "We know we are giving up on one of the top flankers in the league, but I thought he would be better off in another city where he had the same opportunity regularly. We found this in Los Angeles, and it was one of the teams Lance wanted to be traded to if he were traded." To replace him, the Cowboys also obtained Lance Alworth from the San Diego Chargers, in exchange for the left tackleTony Liscio, the tight end Pettis Norman, and the defensive tackleRon East. Although he spent only four seasons with the Cowboys, Rentzel left as the team's fourth all-time wide receiver in addition to other franchise records:
Most consecutive 100-yard receiving games, until Michael Irvin passed him in 1995 with four.
Still fourth for most receiving touchdowns in a season.
Still fourth for most career postseason receiving yards.
Still fourth for most receiving yards in a game.
Los Angeles Rams
Rentzel led the Los Angeles Rams in receptions in 1971, but was never able to regain his previous level of play. In October 1972, he was the subject of a lengthy feature article in SPORT Magazine written by Gary Cartwright. Also that year, Rentzel wrote When All the Laughter Died in Sorrow, about his professional football experiences and personal life. In 1973, while on probation for the indecent exposure charge, Rentzel was suspended indefinitely by the NFL at the start of the 1973 season for conduct detrimental to the league after being convicted for possession of marijuana. He was reinstated in 1974 after a ten-month suspension. Rentzel was one of three men credited with inspiring the eccentricities that surround Media Day at the Super Bowl. In January 1975, SPORT Magazine editor Dick Schaap hired Rentzel and teammate Fred Dryer to cover Super Bowl IX. Donning costumes inspired by The Front Page, "Cubby O'Switzer" and "Scoops Brannigan" peppered players and coaches from both the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers with questions that ranged from the clichéd to the downright absurd. Rentzel humorously explained, "We're here to ask the dumbest questions we can and to mooch as much food and beer as we possibly can."
Retirement
On August 27, 1975, Rentzel was placed on waivers, effectively ending his career. After playing in nine NFL seasons, Rentzel accumulated 4,826 receiving yards, 38 receiving touchdowns, 196 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 1,000 return yards, a touchdown from a fumble recovery, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3 by completing his lone pass attempt for a 58-yard touchdown.
Personal life
In April 1969, Rentzel married Joey Heatherton, an actress, dancer, and singer, in New York City. In November 1970, Rentzel was arrested for exposing himself to a 10-year-old girl. He pled guilty to the charge and promised to undergo psychiatric treatment and was given a suspended sentence. Afterwards, fans started calling Rentzel "No-Pants Lance" and making jokes like, "Don’t worry, even if we are down late, I’m sure Lance will pull it out sooner or later." Heatherton filed for divorce on September 18, 1971 and it became final in 1972. Rentzel later wrote a book, When All the Laughter Died in Sorrow, reflecting upon those events.
