Joe Kapp

#82 · Minnesota Vikings
Retired 3 Years In The NFL
🏆 NFL champion (1969)
Joe's
HAIR
28.9
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Joe Kapp or the Vikings?

Joe Kapp Legacy

HEYTC AI
Joe Kapp was the gunslinging quarterback who bulldozed through football's borders, the only man to steer teams to a Rose Bowl, Grey Cup, and Super Bowl—captaining Cal's last Rose Bowl squad in '59, hoisting the Cup with the BC Lions in '64, then torching the Colts for a record seven TD passes en route to the Vikings' NFL title and Super Bowl IV. A tough-as-nails Mexican-American trailblazer, he later coached Cal through "The Play" and sued the NFL into the free-agency era. Kapp lived fiercely, on and off the field. He passed in 2023 at 85, his legend untouchable.
Joe Kapp passed away on May 8, 2023 at the age of 85.

Joe Kapp Rating Breakdown

Season
Average
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Average
Overall
Delulu
3 years with the Vikings

Joe Kapp Career Stats via Wikipedia

5,911 Pass Yards
40 Touchdowns
64 INTs
55.1% Comp %
28.9 HAIR
20-34 Record

Frequently Asked Questions About Joe Kapp

How does J.J. McCarthy compare to Joe Kapp?

J.J. McCarthy's got advantages Kapp never dreamed of—modern training, rule changes that protect QBs, and a Vikings organization that's actually won playoff games since 1969. McCarthy's already thrown for more yards in his first season than Kapp's entire NFL career. But here's the thing: Kapp did it in an era when defenses could decapitate you, and he still led Minnesota to Super Bowl IV. Different eras, different animals.

Is Joe Kapp in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

No, Kapp never made Canton. He's in the College Football Hall of Fame and BC Sports Hall of Fame, but the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters never called. It's one of football's quirks—the only QB to play in a Rose Bowl, Grey Cup, and Super Bowl gets left out. His 47 percent completion rate and 17 interceptions in 1967 probably didn't help his case.

How would Joe Kapp perform in today's NFL?

Kapp would be a backup in today's NFL, honestly. His 50.6 career completion percentage and TD-to-interception ratio (40 TDs, 193 INTs overall) wouldn't survive modern pass-happy schemes. But give him today's coaching, film study, and receivers? The toughness and competitiveness that made him dangerous in 1969 would still translate. He'd be a capable game-manager, not a franchise guy.

How does Joe Kapp compare to Fran Tarkenton?

Tarkenton laps Kapp—47.86 rating versus Kapp's 28.92. Fran was a Hall of Famer who redefined the position; Kapp was a journeyman who had one brilliant season. Both wore purple, but only one belongs in the conversation about all-time greats.