Chosen in the first round (21st overall) of the 1984 NFL Draft out of Iowa, John Alt entered the league as a towering physical specimen. Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing over 300 pounds, the former tight end-turned-lineman had extraordinary length and athletic footwork, which helped him adjust to the speed of professional pass rushers before he seized the starting left tackle job for good in 1985.

Alt developed into a rock-solid blindside protector as the 1980s progressed, holding down the left perimeter through multiple offensive scheme shifts and quarterback changes. His broad frame and long reach made him an ideal pass blocker against the era’s elite edge rushers, while his run-game technique helped spark the physical ground attacks that became the hallmark of Marty Schottenheimer's arrival in 1989.

His national reputation caught up with his on-field execution in the early 1990s. Alt earned AP Second-Team All-Pro recognition in 1990 before securing back-to-back Pro Bowl selections in 1992 and 1993. As the lead anchor along an offensive line that featured Tim Grunhard and Dave Szott, he protected Joe Montana during Kansas City's memorable run to the 1993 AFC Championship Game, solidifying his standing as one of the premier left tackles in football.

A model of durability and loyalty, Alt spent all 13 seasons with the Chiefs, anchoring left tackle for 179 regular-season games. He retired after the 1996 season, having played every NFL snap for Kansas City, and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2002.