View source for Jim Del Gaizo

{{Short description|American football player (born 1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name          = Jim Del Gaizo
| image         =
| image_size    = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = 
| number        = 11, 12
| position      = [[Quarterback]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1947|5|31}}
| birth_place   = [[Everett, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| high_school   = [[Revere High School (Massachusetts)|Revere (MA)]]
| height_ft     = 6
| height_in     = 1
| weight_lbs    = 198
| college       = [[Tampa Spartans football|Tampa]]
| undraftedyear = 1970
| pastteams     =
* [[Cincinnati Bengals]] ({{NFL Year|1970}})*
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1971}}–{{NFL Year|1972}})
* [[Green Bay Packers]] ({{NFL Year|1973}})
* [[New York Giants]] ({{NFL Year|1974}}-{{NFL Year|1975}})
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1975}})
* Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|1976}})*
| statlabel1    = Passing attempts
| statvalue1    = 103
| statlabel2    = Passing completions
| statvalue2    = 44
| statlabel3    = Percentage
| statvalue3    = 42.7
| statlabel4    = [[Touchdowns|TD]]–[[Interceptions|INT]]
| statvalue4    = 4–10
| statlabel5    = Passing yards
| statvalue5    = 648
| statlabel6    = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6    = 37.3
| pfr           = D/DelGJi00 
}}
'''Jim Del Gaizo''' (born May 31, 1947) is a former professional [[American football]] [[quarterback]] for the [[Miami Dolphins]], [[Green Bay Packers]], and [[New York Giants]]. His career in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) lasted five seasons {{nowrap|(1971–1975).<ref name=mjdggnch>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EQgqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JSkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7096%2C798192 |work=Milwaukee Journal |agency=press dispatches |title=Del Gaizo gets new chance |date=December 3, 1975 |page=16 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>}}

==Early life==
Born in [[Everett, Massachusetts]], and raised in [[Revere, Massachusetts|Revere]], Del Gaizo was the star quarterback for [[Revere High School (Massachusetts)|Revere High School]], and still holds the Patriots' most notable passing records.

==Career==
After playing [[college football]] at both [[Syracuse Orange football|Syracuse]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lincoln A. |first1=Werden |title=Syracuse Defeats Maryland, 28 to 7; Del Gaizo Is Star; Syracuse Sets Back Maryland As Del Gaizo Sparks Attack |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/10/02/archives/syracuse-defeats-maryland-28-to-7-del-gaizo-is-star-syracuse-sets.html |access-date=17 November 2024 |work=[[New York Times]] |date=October 2, 1966}}</ref> and [[Tampa Spartans football|Tampa]], Del Gaizo went unselected in the [[1971 NFL draft]], which had only three quarterbacks taken in the first six rounds and only seventeen selected over the entire seventeen rounds. He is one of only two quarterbacks ever to play at Tampa who appeared in the NFL. Del Gaizo made the Dolphins' roster as an [[undrafted free agent]] in [[1971 Miami Dolphins season|1971]] and spent the season as the third-string quarterback and was not activated the entire season.

In Del Gaizo's rookie season (his second season although his first one on an active roster), he was the backup quarterback in four appearances during the Dolphins' undefeated {{nowrap|17–0}} season in [[1972 Miami Dolphins season|1972]] that culminated in a victory in [[Super Bowl VII]]. Del Gaizo completed 5 of 9 passes for two [[touchdowns]] and one [[interception]]; he also lost one fumble.

The Dolphins did not retain Del Gaizo's services for the [[1973 Miami Dolphins season|1973]] season; however, his stock had risen after two good preseasons coupled with his game performances in the 1972 season, and he was traded to the [[Green Bay Packers|Packers]] for two second round picks (one in 1974 and one in 1975). Green Bay is where he saw his most extensive game action, appearing in eight games while starting three. He suffered a separated shoulder early, and his final statistics were: 27 completions in 69 passing attempts with two touchdowns, six interceptions, and one fumble. In the strike season of [[1974 Green Bay Packers season|1974]], he was traded to the [[1974 New York Giants season|Giants]] for a third round draft pick.

Del Gaizo's final season in [[1975 New York Giants season|1975]] was spent with the Giants, where he appeared in four games (one start), completing 12 of 32 passes with no touchdowns and three interceptions. The Giants released him and Del Gaizo never appeared in another NFL regular season game. However, he was re-signed by the Dolphins for the second half of the [[1975 Miami Dolphins season|1975]] season after injuries had sidelined both [[Bob Griese]] and [[Earl Morrall]], and was on the roster for the final three games of the season, but did not play.

He was invited to camp the following season, and played in the 1976 pre-season for the Dolphins, where he completed 25 passes out of 40 attempts, for 372 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions; however, he was cut by the Dolphins. Del Gaizo entertained starting job offers from the [[1976 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]] and [[1976 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]], as well as a back-up offer from the [[1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] (which he was quoted as saying later he should have probably accepted); however, disillusioned with both pro football and the Miami Dolphins (where he felt he had earned his spot), he decided to retire at the age of 29.

After the NFL career, Del Gaizo worked as a mortgage broker.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DelGJi00.htm Career statistics at pro-football-reference.com]
* [http://www.sptimes.com/2003/02/23/Columns/It_s_hard_to_be_Woods.shtml Update on Del Gaizo (follows golf story)]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080119214525/http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1972&lg=NFL 1972 NFL draft list]}}
* "Downfield! Untold Stories Of The Green Bay Packers", by Jerry Polling. Copyright 1996
* The Miami Herald, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 1976 Front Page Article of Section D, "Del Gaizo Losses QB Roulette"

{{Syracuse Orange quarterback navbox}}
{{Super Bowl VII}}
{{Green Bay Packers starting quarterbacks}}
{{New York Giants starting quarterback navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Del Gaizo, Jim}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Revere, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Suffolk County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Green Bay Packers players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]
[[Category:New York Giants players]]
[[Category:Syracuse Orange football players]]
[[Category:Tampa Spartans football players]]
[[Category:Revere High School (Massachusetts) alumni]]