Lawrence McCutcheon, whose hard-running style made him a five-time Pro Bowl back for the Los Angeles Rams and whose later career kept him in the organization for more than three decades, died Friday at 76, the Rams announced on behalf of his family. His family said he had faced “a long, courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.”
McCutcheon’s NFL story began in 1972, when the Rams selected him out of Colorado State. A Plainview, Texas, native, he spent his first eight professional seasons in Los Angeles and soon developed into one of the league’s most dangerous running backs in the 1970s. Playing in Chuck Knox’s productive offense, he earned Pro Bowl recognition and paced the Rams in rushing every season from 1973 to 1977.
Nicknamed “Clutch,” McCutcheon was named a second-team AP All-Pro in 1974. He played in 11 postseason games for Los Angeles, and during the January 1980 Super Bowl he delivered an unexpected highlight: a touchdown pass to Ron Smith that gave the Rams a lead before the Pittsburgh Steelers came back to claim the title.
By the time McCutcheon departed the Rams in 1980, he had become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. He closed out his playing career with brief stops in Denver, Seattle and Buffalo over two seasons, then returned to the Rams in an executive role. That second chapter lasted more than 30 years and culminated in his tenure as the St. Louis Rams’ director of player personnel, a position he held from 2003 until his retirement in 2016, just before the team relocated to Los Angeles.
“Through a decade-long playing career and another 32 years in the Rams’ front office, Clutch earned the respect and admiration of teammates, opposing players, colleagues and fans alike,” McCutcheon’s family said in its statement. “Clutch will be missed and remembered forever.”
McCutcheon’s athletic legacy also extends to his family. His son, Daylon, was a cornerback for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2006, and his grandson, Dyson, is a defensive back at Middle Tennessee.