Alden Roche
Born:(1945-04-09)April 9, 1945
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Died:May 29, 2022(2022-05-29) (aged 77)
Marrero, Louisiana, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)Defensive end
CollegeSouthern
NFL draft1970 / Round: 2 / Pick: 37
Drafted byDenver Broncos
Career history
As player
1970Denver Broncos
1971–1976Green Bay Packers
1977–1978Seattle Seahawks

Alden Stephen Rochè Jr. (/roʊˈʃeɪ/ roh-SHAY;[1] April 9, 1945 – May 29, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks from 1970 to 1978, having earlier played college football at Southern University.

Early life

Roche was born in New Orleans on April 9, 1945.[2][3] He attended Xavier University Preparatory School in his hometown.[2][4] He then studied at Southern University, where he played college football for the Southern Jaguars.[2] He received first-team All-American honors and was selected as an All-SWAC defensive end. He was also named the university's most valuable defensive lineman in 1969.[5] Roche was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round (37th overall selection) of the 1970 NFL Draft.[2]

Career

Roche made his NFL debut with the Broncos on September 20, 1970, at the age of 25, in a 25–10 win over the Buffalo Bills.[6] He played in all 14 games during his rookie season,[2] before being traded to the Green Bay Packers for Don Horn on January 28 the following year. The transaction also included a swap of 1971 first-round picks, with the Packers selecting John Brockington at 9th and the Broncos choosing Marv Montgomery at 12th.[7][8]

The Packers appointed Dan Devine as head coach six games into the 1971 season.[9] He chose Roche as the starting right defensive end, replacing the incumbent Lionel Aldridge, a holdover from the Packers' glory days under Vince Lombardi.[9][10] Roche was noted for his versatility – filling in for Mike McCoy at left defensive tackle and Clarence Williams at left defensive end[11] – and won the Packers most valuable player award for defense that year.[11][12] He went on to hold the starting role for the next five seasons, playing in all but one game during his tenure with the franchise.[10][11] He played an integral role in helping the Packers finish second in the league in team defense during the 1972 season, when the team won what was ultimately their only division title between 1967 and 1995.[10][11] He also tied with McCoy for the franchise lead in sacks (8.5) in 1976.[10][13] Roche formed a noted defensive partnership with Williams.[14]

Roche joined the Seattle Seahawks in 1977. He spent his last two years in the NFL with the franchise before retiring after the 1978 season.[2][14]

Personal life

Roche was inducted into the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.[5] His grandson, Jay'Shawn Washington, played college football for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles from 2015 to 2018.[15]

Roche died on May 29, 2022, in Marrero, Louisiana, at the age of 77.[10][16]

References

  1. ^ Denver Broncos 1970 Press-Radio-Television Guide (pronunciations on page 43). Retrieved November 2, 2020
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Alden Roche Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Alden Roche football Statistics on StatsCrew.com". statscrew.com. March 6, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  4. ^ "Alden Roche NFL Stats". Pro Football Archives. April 9, 1945. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Alden Roche". Sugar Bowl. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  6. ^ "Alden Roche 1970 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Wallace, William N. "Patriots Choose Plunkett as No. 1 in College Draft, Spurning Trade Offers," The New York Times, Friday, January 29, 1971. Retrieved November 2, 2020
  8. ^ 1971 NFL Draft Pick Transactions, January 28 (Rounds 1–7) & 29 (Rounds 8–17) – Pro Sports Transactions. Retrieved November 2, 2020
  9. ^ a b Christl, Cliff. "Lionel Aldridge". Green Bay Packers. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e Christl, Cliff (June 2, 2022). "Former Packers defensive lineman Alden Roche dies at 77". Green Bay Packers. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d Christl, Cliff (October 1, 2020). "The best of the gory years' grunts". Green Bay Packers. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  12. ^ Kendeigh, Andy (September 1, 2009). The Best Wisconsin Sports Arguments: The 100 Most Controversial, Debatable Questions for Die-Hard Fans. Sourcebooks, Inc. p. 97. ISBN 9781402247347.
  13. ^ Hendricks, Martin (September 2, 2015). "Mike P. McCoy helped Packers in a big way". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Zagorski, Joe (November 20, 2019). The Year the Packers Came Back: Green Bay's 1972 Resurgence. McFarland. pp. 202–203. ISBN 9781476674247.
  15. ^ "Jay'Shawn Washington – Football". Southern Miss Golden Eagles. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  16. ^ Alden Stephen Roche' Jr.
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