Dick Capp

Richard Francis Capp (born April 9, 1942) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker and tight end. From Portland, Maine, he played college football for the Boston College Eagles and was selected by the Boston Patriots in the 17th round of the 1966 American Football League draft. After a season with the Patriots' taxi squad and playing with the minor league Lowell Giants, he was signed by the Green Bay Packers in 1967. He appeared in two regular season games for the Packers and was later activated for Super Bowl II, where he recovered a fumble in the Packers' win. He later was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals and concluded his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Early life Capp was born on April 9, 1942, in Portland, Maine. He attended Deering High School in Portland where he competed in football, baseball, basketball and track and field. He was an All-Maine selection at end in football and helped Deering win the 1959 state championship, their first. In high school, Capp was "tall and lean", standing at while weighing . In a summer spent at his parents' house, he began lifting weights and "drank milkshakes loaded with half a dozen raw eggs"; according to the Portland Press Herald, "Fifty pounds later, bony and lanky became a rock-solid , ". As a senior in 1965, he was described as one of Boston College's "defensive stars". Capp also spent two years on the varsity basketball team for the Eagles. Professional career Capp was selected by the Boston Patriots in the 17th round (147th overall) of the 1966 American Football League draft. He subsequently joined the team's taxi squad and was sent to the Lowell Giants of the minor Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL).

Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi was interested in a kicker who played for the Giants and while watching film, became interested in Capp as well, saying to "Bring that kid playing linebacker". He then joined the team after completing two weeks of military service. Capp recalled that Lombardi "just liked guys that would run down the field, hit somebody and add to the special teams. That was something I could do". Then, at the start of the season, he was traded from the Cardinals to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He appeared in all 14 games for the Steelers during the 1968 season as a linebacker. He did not play for any other team in his career, finishing with 16 games played.

Later life Capp married and had several children. After playing for the Steelers, he began working for Procter & Gamble. He later moved with his family to St. Louis, Missouri, then to Dallas, Texas, and later to Cary, North Carolina. In Cary, he ran a business that distributed cleaning detergent.