Career
A defensive lineman, he played collegiately for the University of Houston and professionally for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League from 1962 to 1969. In that season, the front four of Birdwell, Keating, Ike Lassiter, and Ben Davidson combined for impressive totals of 67 sacks and 666 yards lost. Birdwell died of a massive heart attack at age 37 on February 14, 1978.