RIP Joe Kapp (Patriots QB in 1970, 1-9 record): the toughest QB to ever play

[Actual Pats Fan]

You're right in that Joe was at least the first real QB we had after The Babe, he just didn't play like it here. Someone might point out he replaced the (cough) immortal Mike Taliaferro (shudder) who in turn had the even worse Trull and Sherman between him and The Babe. I'd say no one can fault you for deciding the toilet triplets were not 'real' QB's, Kapp may not have played any better here than they did but at least he was an honest to God NFL QB somewhere before he briefly got our hopes up.

Cripes, that was a rough stretch as a fan. Good thing I was just a teenager, I had ample hair for puling out

RIP Joe, God bless

Yeah we lost 42 games from '67-'70. But then Jim Plunkett, Julius Adams and Schaefer Stadium came along with the new name New England. Two years later and Fairbanks turned everything around.

Now, in the four years prior to Parcells & Bledsoe, the Patriots lost fifty games. These two stretches are the times you could accurately describe the team as dismal. Several old veterans finishing their time up and some promising youngsters but no illusions of competitiveness.

 

[SteveKiner]

Kapp played for the Pat's over 50 years ago but I can still remember all the hype about him before he got here.

I'm glad you mentioned his end over end passes because I remember them as well. They were scary awful. The one thing I didn't remember is giving up two 1's to get him and that made this trade even worse.

Kapp was definitely a character and had lot of great things going for him before he became a Patriot. . .

Wow, do I feel old.

 

[italian pat patriot]

R.i.p
a great playier for the Minnesota Vikings

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Wow, do I feel old.

I mean I think in terms of relative time: You live in the moment, and in sports your playing career is really short compared to life itself. Now if you're Howe or Jagr, okay you're just gonna keep going as long as you're breathing.

I think that time for the Patriots was really, really exciting, in terms of getting a new stadium and having nowhere to go but up.

A lot was happening in Kapp's year here, including the Beatles breaking up.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

He was a little bit of an idol.

NFL MVP doing it because he had the heart of Mickey Mantle.

The original "found a way to win" QB.

He left it all on the field, and the Chiefs knocked him into what should have been his retirement in Super Bowl IV.

 

[AQPE]

The Joe Kapp season was the first season that wee little AQPE paid actual attention to the Pats. Reading his obit, his story of success just about everywhere except here is impressive. Unfortunately his year here does suggest that Kapp was Crap as a Patriot. Anyway G-dspeed to the toughest hombre a lot of us ever saw play QB.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

The Joe Kapp season was the first season that wee little AQPE paid actual attention to the Pats. Reading his obit, his story of success just about everywhere except here is impressive. Unfortunately his year here does suggest that Kapp was Crap as a Patriot. Anyway G-dspeed to the toughest hombre a lot of us ever saw play QB.

Joe was done.

But he never had the word 'done' or 'quit' in his vocabulary. He was only going to stop when somebody told him to.

As far as the Patriots, it's difficult for most people to understand why a fan would be nostalgic or happy about a time like that.

Just having our own local NFL team was special. And there were still a lot of holdovers from the AFL days. It's simply about having OUR own team. Win or lose. I guess it's tribal, or parochial.

Yes, we wanted and were thrilled to have success with Fairbanks, but fundamentally it begins with local enthusiasm and support. Kraft doesn't get this at all.

 

[scott99]

My thoughts go out to Joe’s family and friends. It’s always tough to see someone from your childhood pass away. My Dad and uncle told me all about Joe Kapp. I also had seen some stuff about him on NFL Films. He also was in some Hollywood movies and some TV shows I believe.

 

[Joker]

Joe played the walking yard boss in the Longest Yard...1974