Joe Scarpati
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Joseph Henry Scarpati Jr. (born March 5, 1943) is a former
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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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
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 National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). Scarpati was first drafted by the
Boston Patriots Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of and a ...
out of NC State but instead chose to sign with
Vince Lombardi Vincent Thomas Lombardi ( ; June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American professional football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be among the greatest coaches and leaders in Ame ...
's
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
. 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. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
, 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
, 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 National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
, and was the holder for
Tom Dempsey Thomas John Dempsey (January 12, 1947April 4, 2020) was an American professional American football, football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, ...
's record breaking 63-yard field goal. He attempted to return for an eighth season back with the Eagles but suffered an injury in training camp and retired shortly afterwards.


Early life

Scarpati was born on March 5, 1943, in
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
. He was raised in
Scotch Plains, New Jersey Scotch Plains is a Township (New Jersey), township in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is located on a ridge in North Jersey, northern-central Jersey, central New Jersey, within the Raritan R ...
, and attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. 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 gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(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 Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. It has an area of and a ...
(13th round, 100th pick) but chose
Vince Lombardi Vincent Thomas Lombardi ( ; June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American professional football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be among the greatest coaches and leaders in Ame ...
's
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
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. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
, 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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
defensive back. Pro Bowl receiver
Pete Retzlaff Palmer Edward "Pete" Retzlaff (August 21, 1931 – April 10, 2020), nicknamed "Pistol Pete" and "the Baron", was an American football player and executive for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a flanke ...
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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, he stripped the ball from
Dan Reeves Daniel Edward Reeves (January 19, 1944 – January 1, 2022) was an American professional 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 ...
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 National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
for guard Norman Davis and safety Bo Burris. 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 American football, football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, ...
.


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 Sportspeople 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