John Alt’s son is turning heads as high school tight end
By Matt Conner
Several major college football programs are chasing Joe Alt, son of former Chiefs lineman John Alt.
Looking for some news to make you feel old? How about learning that son of former Kansas City Chiefs great John Alt is ready to make his own impact on the sport at the college level?
If you’re of a certain age, John Alt will conjure memories as one of the finest offensive linemen in Chiefs history. Alt started 149 regular season games for the Chiefs at left tackle (51 more than Eric Fisher for perspective), an incredible run with the team from 1984 to 1996. Alt was the team’s first round pick out of the University of Iowa in ’84 and needed a few years before taking over the full-time starting role, but when he did, he wouldn’t let go.
Alt’s best years with the team came in the early ’90s squads with Marty Schottenheimer at the helm. Alt made his only two Pro Bowls in both ’92 and ’93, the latter season being Joe Montana’s first year with the team. Earlier in his career, Alt would open paths for Christian Okoye and Barry Word. In his latter years, it was Marcus Allen. He also shared the line with Hall of Famer Will Shields for a few years before retiring.
Alt himself is a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame, which is why we’re paying attention to where his son, Joe Alt, is going to head this fall. Alt already has one son who plays professional sports: Mark Alt, who has played hockey for the Colorado Avalanche. Now his younger son, Joe, is ready to face life as a heralded college football recruit.
Joe Alt is a 6’7, 255 lb. tight end (who projects as a tackle) from Totino-Grace High School in Findlay, Minnesota. John Alt is his positional coach, and schools like Notre Dame, Missouri, Iowa State, Kansas State, Northwestern, Minnesota and his father’s alma mater of Iowa have all come calling with offers.
It will be interesting to see where Alt lands but we’ll be even more if and when his son is ever ready for the NFL. If he’s anything like his father, it’d be an honor to have him in Kansas City. The senior Alt was a franchise cornerstone and here’s hoping the son turns out to be much like the father in that regard.