Walt Sweeney dies of pancreatic cancer - San Diego Chargers legend was 71

San Diego Chargers Hall of Famer and former star offensive lineman Walt Sweeney has passed away that the age of 71.

Sweeney was a first-round draft pick for the Chargers in 1963, and is credited with helping the team win the American Football League championship. He was named AFL All-Star in 1964 and 1965, and played in the NFL Prow Bowl for three consecutive years, from 1970 to 1972.

The football standout played at Syracuse before spending 9 seasons with the Chargers, followed by two seasons with the Washington Redskins.

The Associated Press reports a judge ordered the NFL to pay Sweeney $1.8 million in disability payments in 1997 due to claims his teams gave him drugs that caused him to become an addict. That ruling was appealed and overturned.

A statement on the Chargers' website calls Sweeney "one of the greatest Chargers in franchise history."