Bill Lenkaitis

William Edward "Bill" Lenkaitis (June 30, 1946 – August 27, 2016) was a professional football player. He was a center and guard who played fourteen professional seasons. He played with the American Football League's San Diego Chargers in 1968 and 1969, and with the National Football League's San Diego Chargers in 1970. He then spent eleven seasons (1971–1981) with the NFL's New England Patriots. Lenkaitis attended Penn State University, and subsequently earned his dental degree in the offseason from the University of Tennessee. He was the Patriots' dentist for many years, both when he was playing and beyond. At the time he was the only practicing dentist in the league. He died of brain cancer in 2016.