{{Short description|American football player (born 1960)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Distinguish|Ken Macalister}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Ken McAlister | image = | number = 48, 94 | position = Linebacker, safety | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|4|15}} | birth_place = Oakland, California, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 5 | weight_lbs = 220 | high_school = Oakland | college = San Francisco (basketball) | undraftedyear = 1982 | pastteams = * Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|1982}}–{{NFL Year|1983}}) * San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1983}}) * Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1984}}–{{NFL Year|1987}}) | pfr = M/McAlKe20 }} '''Kenneth H. McAlister''' (born April 15, 1960) is an American former professional football player who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. He played college basketball at the University of San Francisco. He did not play college football.
==Early life and college == Kenneth H. McAlister was born on April 15, 1960, in Oakland, California.<ref name="pfa"/> He played high school football, basketball, and baseball at Oakland High School.<ref name="wolf">{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian/165378181/ | title=Wolf-eat-wolf life not new to 'Hawk hopeful | work=The Columbian | date=August 5, 1982 | accessdate=13 February 2025 | author=Vogt, Tom}}</ref><ref name="picks">{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/165378410/ | title=McAlister picks USF over Irish | work=Oakland Tribune | date=April 12, 1978 | accessdate=13 February 2025 | author=Clark, Peter | pages=EEE25, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/165378536/ EEE26]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/165379163/ | title=A McAlister for all seasons | work=Oakland Tribune | date=March 16, 1977 | accessdate=13 February 2025 | author=Wiley, Ralph | pages=44}}</ref> He earned third-team ''Parade'' All-American honors in basketball as a senior.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-galveston-daily-news/165378812/ | title=Sophomore Center Paces Parade All-America Squad | work=The Galveston Daily News | date=April 2, 1978 | agency=United Press International | accessdate=13 February 2025 | pages=2B}}</ref> McAlister was also the Oakland Athletic League defensive player of the year in football as a senior.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/165379499/ | title=OAL defense | work=Oakland Tribune | date=December 15, 1977 | accessdate=13 February 2025 | pages=53}}</ref>
In April 1978, McAlister signed a national letter of intent to play college basketball for the San Francisco Dons of the University of San Francisco.<ref name="picks"/> He had also been recruited by Notre Dame and Michigan State but decided to stay in the Bay Area.<ref name="picks"/> He played four years of basketball for the Dons from 1978 to 1981.<ref name="wolf"/><ref name="pfa">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/m/mcal00600.html | title=KEN MCALISTER | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=13 February 2025}}</ref> He averaged 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game his senior year.<ref name="wolf"/>
==Professional career== McAlister went undrafted in the 1982 NBA draft.<ref name="wolf"/> However, he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL on April 30, 1982, despite not having played football since high school.<ref name="transactions"/><ref name="wolf"/> He played in nine games for the Seahawks in 1982, recovering one fumble while also returning two kicks for 41 yards.<ref name="pfr">{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McAlKe20.htm | title=Ken McAlister | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=13 February 2025}}</ref> McAlister appeared in two games in 1983, returning three kicks for 59 yards, before being released on September 14, 1983.<ref name="pfr"/><ref name="transactions">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/m/mcal00600.html | title=Ken McAlister NFL Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=13 February 2025}}</ref> He was listed as a safety during his time with the Seahawks and mainly played special teams.<ref name="pfa"/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/165381473/ | title=Ex-Dons adjust to new lives | work=The San Francisco Examiner | date=December 19, 1982 | accessdate=13 February 2025 | author=Crumpacker, John | pages=C5}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.beckys-place.com/30unvy/mcalister.html | title=Ken McAlister | publisher=beckys-place.com | accessdate=November 19, 2014}}</ref>
McAlister signed with the San Francisco 49ers on November 23, 1983.<ref name="transactions"/> He played in four games for the 49ers that season before being released on December 30, 1983.<ref name="pfr"/><ref name="transactions"/>
McAlister was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs on February 1, 1984.<ref name="transactions"/> He was moved to linebacker while with the Chiefs.<ref name="pfa"/> He played in 15 games, starting nine, during the 1984 season, totaling four sacks, two interceptions, and one fumble recovery.<ref name="pfr"/> He was placed on injured reserve on August 19, 1985, and missed the entire 1985 season.<ref name="transactions"/> He started the first three games of the 1986 season, posting one sack, before being placed on injured reserve on September 23 and missing the remainder of the year.<ref name="pfr"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/1986.htm | title=1986 Kansas City Chiefs Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=13 February 2025}}</ref><ref name="transactions"/> McAlister became a free agent after the 1986 season and re-signed with the Chiefs.<ref name="transactions"/> He was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list on September 7, 1987.<ref name="transactions"/> He was activated later that season and played in one game for the Chiefs before being placed on injured reserve again on November 18, 1987.<ref name="pfr"/><ref name="transactions"/> He became a free agent after the season.<ref name="transactions"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McAlister, Ken}} Category:Living people Category:1960 births Category:Players of American football from Oakland, California Category:American football linebackers Category:American football safeties Category:San Francisco Dons men's basketball players Category:Seattle Seahawks players Category:San Francisco 49ers players Category:Kansas City Chiefs players Category:Basketball players from Oakland, California Category:American men's basketball players Category:Oakland High School (Oakland, California) alumni Category:20th-century American sportsmen