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

[upstater1]

Kapp had a few screws loose; he took a beating



And even into his old age, he was still getting into fistfights:

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Kapp had a few screws loose; he took a beating



And even into his old age, he was still getting into fistfights:

Joe's leadership was off the charts, that and his accomplishments including playoffs are how I rate him above Bledsoe as a quarterback.

His last season was nothing, after contractual intricacies he came here for our first season in the NFL, our last without our own home stadium.

It would be twenty years until we didn't have at least one legit starting quarterback on the roster... depending upon what you think of Hugh Millen, who became the Patriots' first $million QB . Flutie was making around $350G in Canada.

Try and tell me the NFL isn't stupid.

 

[turkeyneck]

RIP, Joe.

I remember the excitement when the Pats got him. Finally, a real QB to replace the Babe. Then what a disappointment that season was. Kind of like if you were excited to get Cam.

 

[maust]

RIP, Joe.

I remember the excitement when the Pats got him. Finally, a real QB to replace the Babe. Then what a disappointment that season was. Kind of like if you were excited to get Cam.

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

 

[Huckleberry1]

RIP Joe.


*Tony Eason was the toughest QB to ever play the game. He was also the model for this stock drawing:

 

[Family]

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.

 

[SteveKiner]

I was actually a Joe Kapp fan and was very excited when the Patriots acquired him but God was he awful with the Pats. I mean just brutal and he only cost 2 first rounders(a former first round pick player John Charles and an actual first round pick) plus he signed a weird contract that supposedly made him the highest paid player in the league the one year he played for the Pats. All the people who don't like the way Belichick runs the team would have loved that front office.
Loved him in the original "Longest Yard" movie.
Also thought Grogan was just as tough, if not more so.

 

[Joker]

I was at a game he started and he never threw a spiral...most of his passes were end over end! The guys I grew up with and played football with were all rabid Patriots fans. Joe Kapp was easily the WORST "QB" I've ever seen in a Pats uni.In fact, I remember we wouldn't attend another home game if he was starter that year.Earlier in his career he WAS a good QB...in Minny. Threw spirals...don't know WTF happened but when he got here, your SISTER would've been a better choice.

 

[Zuma]

Kapp was before my time. Nice to hear these stories about him.

 

[jimnance]

I was at a game he started and he never threw a spiral...most of his passes were end over end! The guys I grew up with and played football with were all rabid Patriots fans. Joe Kapp was easily the WORST "QB" I've ever seen in a Pats uni.In fact, I remember we wouldn't attend another home game if he was starter that year.Earlier in his career he WAS a good QB...in Minny. Threw spirals...don't know WTF happened but when he got here, your SISTER would've been a better choice.

He mighta been even worse than Cam.
I was in shock at how bad he was trying to throw a football.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

Kapp was before my time. Nice to hear these stories about him.

Agreed

 

[turkeyneck]

I was at a game he started and he never threw a spiral...most of his passes were end over end!

That was the thing that struck me at the time. Here was a guy who threw for 7 TDs in a single game, led the Vikings to the SB, and he can't throw a spiral any better than my mother! Only good that came out of that season was finishing bad enough to get Plunkett in the next draft who we eventually parlayed into a bunch of talent.

For those with a more front office bent it's worth looking into the turmoil surrounding Kapp's contract with the Pats. It was so odd that Pete Rozelle found the need to get involved.

 

[borg]

Amazing...
After winning it all in Minny (1969) he goes to Boston the following season.......and chucks 3 TDs/17 INTs.
The 4 games Kapp didn't start in Boston, his replacement threw 4 TDs/11 INTs

The question has to be asked....
Was Patricia's granddad the Boston OC back then?

Joe Kapp Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Joe Kapp. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Steve102]

I just came to see if crawhammer came in to tell us that Kapp wasn't the toughest and listed a bunch of stats he gleaned from Pro Football Reference to back up his position.

Godspeed Joe.

 

[Sfpat]

RIP, Joe.

I remember the excitement when the Pats got him. Finally, a real QB to replace the Babe. Then what a disappointment that season was. Kind of like if you were excited to get Cam.

I too was excited when the Pats got Kapp, and he was from Cal (family was from California).

 

[Pape]

RIP Joe Kapp



always thought that he looked a lot like Chazz Palminteri in the above pic...

 

[p8ryts]

I was actually a Joe Kapp fan and was very excited when the Patriots acquired him but God was he awful with the Pats. I mean just brutal and he only cost 2 first rounders(a former first round pick player John Charles and an actual first round pick) plus he signed a weird contract that supposedly made him the highest paid player in the league the one year he played for the Pats. All the people who don't like the way Belichick runs the team would have loved that front office.
Loved him in the original "Longest Yard" movie.
Also thought Grogan was just as tough, if not more so.

Billy Kilmer was in that mold also.

 

[captain stone]

I was at a game he started and he never threw a spiral...most of his passes were end over end! The guys I grew up with and played football with were all rabid Patriots fans. Joe Kapp was easily the WORST "QB" I've ever seen in a Pats uni.In fact, I remember we wouldn't attend another home game if he was starter that year.Earlier in his career he WAS a good QB...in Minny. Threw spirals...don't know WTF happened but when he got here, your SISTER would've been a better choice.

He mighta been even worse than Cam.
I was in shock at how bad he was trying to throw a football.

Yep, the Worst single season of QBing in the Entire History of this franchise, especially when considering the cost & expectations… But as TurkeyNeck mentioned, that season gave us Plunkett who gave us multiple high draft picks which led to the relative success we had for the next dozen years.

 

[NCPATSFAN1971]

I was at a game he started and he never threw a spiral...most of his passes were end over end! The guys I grew up with and played football with were all rabid Patriots fans. Joe Kapp was easily the WORST "QB" I've ever seen in a Pats uni.In fact, I remember we wouldn't attend another home game if he was starter that year.Earlier in his career he WAS a good QB...in Minny. Threw spirals...don't know WTF happened but when he got here, your SISTER would've been a better choice.

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. . .

 

[Since1960]

I remember seeing Joe Kapp when I had season tickets for the year when the Pats played at Harvard Stadium. Bob Gladieux opening game call out from the stands was a hoot. Kapp was going to lead us to the promised land but his throwing arm makes Mac’s look like Elway in his prime. One lovely Sunday afternoon they played during a snowstorm (I think it was against the Vikings) and it was the single worse Pats game that he at I evah saw, and I’ve been to many! Oh well, rest in peace Joe…