Charlie Cowan, a former Ram offensive lineman,...

Charlie Cowan, a former Ram offensive lineman, was “awake and alert” after undergoing kidney transplant surgery at the UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, according to Sharon Lyons, a hospital spokeswoman.

Cowan, 51, is listed in serious condition, which Lyons said is the usual practice in the first hours after a kidney transplant. Cowan, an offensive tackle for the Rams from 1961 to 1975, was a Pro Bowl selection in 1968, 1969 and 1970.