Joseph Henry Scarpati, Jr. (born March 5, 1943) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are two slightly dif ...
who played seven seasons with the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
and
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL).
Scarpati was first drafted by the
Boston Patriots out of
NC State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...
but instead chose to sign with
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized a ...
's
Green Bay Packers. He was released during the exhibition games and signed with the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, but was released a few days later. He then signed with the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
, where he would spend the next six seasons of his career. In 1970, he spent the season with the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, and was the holder for
Tom Dempsey
Thomas John Dempsey (January 12, 1947April 4, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers and ...
's record breaking 63-yard field goal. He attempted to return for an eighth season back with the Eagles but suffered a injury in training camp and retired shortly afterwards.
Early life
Scarpati was born on March 5, 1940, in
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. He was raised in
Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and attended
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School (or SPFHS) is a comprehensive regional four-year public high school in Union County, New Jersey, United States, which serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from the Township of Scotch Plains and the ...
. His high school coach Chuck Nelson described him as "a boy who comes up once in 25 years."
[ ] He was an all-around player in high school, excelling a center, halfback, and cornerback. A 1958 newspaper article described him as "like a cat on defense. Wherever the play goes, Joe's there. You rarely get a pass by him. If it's near Joe, it's as good as intercepted."
College career
Scarpati was recruited to the
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in the sport of American football. The Wolfpack competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ...
team by
Pat Peppler, who would recruit him into the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) as well.
He played and lettered from '61 to '63. In 1961, he appeared in all 10 games while recording 43 attempts for 164 yards and 1 touchdown.
He also amassed 14 catches for 150 yards and 2 scores.
In the ACC, he placed 9th in Touchdowns, 9th in points, and 5th in receiving touchdowns.
Scarpati gained All-ACC honors in each year that he played. He recorded 62 rushes for 210 yards the following year, and scored two touchdowns.
He was named the team captain in 1963 after leading the Wolfpack in receiving, scoring, and punt returns. As team captain in his senior year, Scarpati had 49 rushes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
He had more of a receiving role his senior year, with 24 receptions for 273 yards and two scores.
He placed 4th in the ACC for yards per catch in '63.
Professional career
Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings
In the
1964 AFL Draft, he was selected by the
Boston Patriots (13th round, 100th pick) but chose
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized a ...
's
Green Bay Packers instead. The Packers' Personnel Director
Pat Peppler recruited him.
He stayed in training camp before being released in pre-season.
He then signed with the rival
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, however, he was released a few days later.
Philadelphia Eagles
After being released by Minnesota, he was signed to replace an injured
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
defensive back.
Pro Bowl receiver
Pete Retzlaff
Palmer Edward Retzlaff (August 21, 1931 – April 10, 2020), known as Pete Retzlaff and nicknamed "Pistol Pete" and "The Baron", was a professional American football player and general manager.
Early life
Retzlaff played football at Ellendale H ...
later recalled Scarpati's first practice with the team. He stated "When I took a look at his size (5'10, 185), my first reaction was 'This will be easy,' then when I ran against him, I found out that I couldn't get rid of him."
In his rookie season, he played in 12 out of 14 games and collected three interceptions. One of which he returned for a 24-yard touchdown.
He started in 11 of those games, and also recorded a fumble recovery and punt return.
He started all 14 games the next year and also recorded his only career offensive touch, a 6 yard rush.
He had 3 interceptions during the season, returned for 4 yards.
Scarpati had his best season the following year, leading the league in interception return yards with 182 on 8 returns.
He made appearances in all 14 games in '66.
In a game against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, he stripped the ball from
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves (January 19, 1944 – January 1, 2022) was an American football running back and coach in the National Football League (NFL). During his 38 years in the NFL, Reeves participated in nine Super Bowls, the third most for an ...
on the Eagles 13 yard line to prevent the Cowboys from taking the lead late and winning the game.
He would start all but 2 games in the next three seasons and recorded 10 interceptions, two of which were touchdowns. In '68, he had two pass attempts.
After a knee operation in '69, Scarpati returned and made four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
New Orleans Saints
In 1970, Scarpati was traded to the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
for guard
Norman Davis and safety
Bo Burris
James England Burris Jr. (born October 16, 1944) is a former American football defensive back who played three seasons with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Saints in the second round of the 1967 ...
.
With the Saints he played in 14 games, starting 10, and had 1 interception.
He was part of a historic play when he was the holder for a record-breaking 63-yard field goal by
Tom Dempsey
Thomas John Dempsey (January 12, 1947April 4, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers and ...
.
Return to Philadelphia
He attempted to return for an eighth season with Philadelphia in 1971, but suffered an injury in training camp and retired shortly afterwards.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scarpati, Joe
1943 births
Living people
People from Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School alumni
Players of American football from Brooklyn
Players of American football from Union County, New Jersey
American football safeties
NC State Wolfpack football players
Philadelphia Eagles players
New Orleans Saints players