View source for John Cappelletti

{{Short description|American football player (born 1952)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = John Cappelletti
| image       = 1986 Jeno's Pizza - 18 - John Cappelletti (Jeff Siemon crop).jpg
| alt         =
| caption     = Cappelletti (''22'') with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977
| number      = 22, 25
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1952|8|9}}
| birth_place = [[Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lb   = 215
| high_school = [[Monsignor Bonner High School|Monsignor Bonner]] <br> ([[Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania]])
| college     = [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] (1971–1973)
| draftyear   = 1974
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 11
| pastteams   =
* [[Los Angeles Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1974|1978}})
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|1980|1983}})
| highlights  =
* [[Heisman Trophy]] (1973)
* [[Maxwell Award]] (1973)
* [[Walter Camp Award]] (1973)
* [[UPI College Football Player of the Year|UPI Player of the Year]] (1973)
* [[Chic Harley Award]] (1973)
* [[List of unanimous All-Americans in college football|Unanimous All-American]] ([[1973 College Football All-America Team|1973]])
* First-team All-East ([[1973 All-East football team|1973]])
* [[Penn State Nittany Lions football#Retired numbers|Penn State Nittany Lions No. 22]] retired
| statlabel1  = [[Carry (gridiron football)|Rushing attempts]]
| statvalue1  = 824
| statlabel2  = [[Carry (gridiron football)|Rushing yards]]
| statvalue2  = 2,951
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Rushing touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 24
| statlabel4  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue4  = 135
| statlabel5  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receiving yards]]
| statvalue5  = 1,233
| statlabel6  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue6  = 4
| pfr         = CappJo00
| CollegeHOF  = 2288 
}}

'''John Raymond Cappelletti''' (born August 9, 1952) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[running back]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) with the [[Los Angeles Rams]] and [[San Diego Chargers]].

He played [[college football]] for the [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State Nittany Lions]], where he won the [[Heisman Trophy]] in 1973.<ref name=cwhctrp>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1973/12/05/page/93/article/cappelletti-wins-heisman-trophy |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |agency=UPI |title=Cappelletti wins Heisman Trophy |date=December 5, 1973 |page=1, sec. 3}}</ref><ref name=jcwhtrre>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WwUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-pcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6203%2C2498706 |newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press|title=John Cappelletti wins Heisman Trophy|date=December 4, 1973 |page=20}}</ref><ref name=cmthicem>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X0oNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BW0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7175%2C679444 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Parascenzo |first=Marino |title=Heisman Trophy cometh to the Iceman - Cappelletti |date=December 5, 1973 |page=30}}</ref><ref name=chdbts>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XAUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-pcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6436%2C3420369 |newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Cappelletti had doubts Heisman Trophy |date=December 5, 1973 |page=68}}</ref> He was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1993. Coach [[Joe Paterno]] said that Cappelletti was "the best football player I ever coached" or words to that effect.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=John Cappelletti, Pennsylvania Center for the Book |url=https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/cappelletti__john#:~:text=Born%20in%20Pennsylvania%20on%20August,professional%20football%20for%20some%20years. |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=pabook.libraries.psu.edu}}</ref> Cappelletti's relationship with his younger brother Joey, who was stricken with [[leukemia]], was chronicled into a book and television movie, ''[[Something for Joey]]''.

==Early life==
Cappelletti was born on August 9, 1952, in [[Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania]], where he was raised.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pennsylvania Center for the Book |url=https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/cappelletti__john#:~:text=Born%20in%20Pennsylvania%20on%20August,professional%20football%20for%20some%20years. |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=pabook.libraries.psu.edu}}</ref> He was one of five children born to John and Anna Cappelletti.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Reeser |first=James |date=1995-09-16 |title=Where are they now? |url=https://www.psucollegian.com/archives/where-are-they-now/article_881781ed-8e27-5eeb-8ca7-d6ddfadd060e.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=The Daily Collegian |language=en}}</ref> Cappelletti attended St. Laurence School in Upper Darby (a kindergarten to 8th grade Catholic school<ref>{{Cite web |title=Classes |url=https://saintlaurence.org/classes-offered |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=St. Laurence |language=en}}</ref>) prior to entering [[Monsignor Bonner High School]] in [[Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania|Drexel Hill]], a suburb west of [[Philadelphia]] in [[Delaware County, Pennsylvania|Delaware County]], where he played football and basketball.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=February 21, 1974 |title=Bonner 'Celebrity Week' Cites Homegrown Heroes |url=https://www.fatherbillatkinson.org/documents/Bonner%20'Celebrity%20Week'%20Cites%20Homegrown%20Heroes.pdf |work=New of Delaware County |pages=23}}</ref> He played [[quarterback]] for the Friars<ref name=chdbts/><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Mandarino |first=Mikey |date=2017-10-10 |title=Penn State History Lessons: John Cappelletti |url=https://onwardstate.com/2017/10/10/penn-state-history-lessons-john-cappelletti/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Onward State |language=en-US}}</ref> and graduated in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Daily |date=2013-09-07 |title=Bonner grad, Penn State legend John Cappelletti has No. 22 retired |url=https://www.delcotimes.com/2013/09/07/bonner-grad-penn-state-legend-john-cappelletti-has-no-22-retired/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Delco Times |language=en-US}}</ref> 

In 1969, he was selected first team All-Catholic and All-Delaware County.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=John Cappelletti |url=https://www.heisman.com/heisman-winners/john-cappelletti/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Heisman |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1974, Bonner presented Cappelletti with the Coach Jack Gottschalk Memorial Award. On the same day, Bonner's alumni association established the John Cappelletti Award, to be given annually to the senior who best exemplifies qualities of character, dedication and athletic success. During the same ceremony presenting these awards, Cappelletti was inducted as the first charter member of Bonner's Hall of Fame, and his jersey number 11 was retired by the school.<ref name=":0" />

==College career==
During his sophomore season in [[1971 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|1971]], he played as a [[defensive back]],<ref name=jcwhtrre/><ref name=dccptfb>{{cite news |url=http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archives/article_a62e1b1d-1181-50f2-9a09-e2b7b7d428e9.html |newspaper=Daily Collegian |location=(University Park, Pennsylvania) |title=Cappelletti talks about football... |date=September 21, 1985 |access-date=January 24, 2017}}</ref> as the Nittany Lions had two senior running backs who were taken early in the [[1972 NFL draft]]: [[Franco Harris]] (13th overall) and [[Lydell Mitchell]] (48th).<ref>{{Cite web |title=1972 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1972/draft.htm |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Head coach Joe Paterno considered Cappelletti too good an athlete not to play somewhere on the team, and intended to switch Cappelletti back to offense as a junior after Harris and Mitchell graduated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mandarino |first=Mikey |date=2017-10-10 |title=Penn State History Lessons: John Cappelletti |url=https://onwardstate.com/2017/10/10/penn-state-history-lessons-john-cappelletti/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Onward State |language=en-US}}</ref>

As a senior [[Halfback (American football)|tailback]] at [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] in [[1973 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|1973]], Cappelletti gained 1,522 yards on 286 carries scoring 17 [[touchdown]]s as the Nittany Lions rolled to an undefeated 12–0 season.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=1973 Penn State Nittany Lions Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/penn-state/1973-schedule.html |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> In his two-year running-back career, Cappelletti gained over 100 yards in thirteen games and had a career total of 2,639 yards and twenty-nine [[touchdown]]s for an average of 120 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Cappelletti College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/john-cappelletti-1.html |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> In the final month of the 1973 season, he rushed for more than 200 yards in three consecutive games.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> His 2,639 yards in only two years is 14th all-time at Penn State (as of 2024).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Penn State Nittany Lions Rushing |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/penn-state/rushing.html |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

He was awarded the 1973 [[Heisman Trophy]], [[Maxwell Award]], the [[UPI College Football Player of the Year]], the [[Walter Camp Award]], the [[Touchdown Club of Columbus]] [[Chic Harley Award]], ABC-TV Player of the Year, as well as receiving first team consensus [[1973 College Football All-America Team|All-America]] honors. He was also named Amateur Athlete of the Year by the [[Philadelphia Sports Writers Association]]. He was the first Penn State player to be awarded the Heisman Trophy.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=1973 College Football Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1973.html#all_all_americans |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chic Harley Award |url=https://d1sportsnet.com/football/awards/harley.php |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=d1sportsnet.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" />  His Heisman acceptance speech, where he dedicated his award to his dying brother Joey,<ref name="chtribjoey">{{cite news |last=Lyon |first=Bill |date=December 15, 1973 |title=Sports hero dedicates prize to dying brother |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1973/12/15/page/37/article/heisman-to-joey |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |page=1, sports final |agency=Knight Newspapers}}</ref><ref name="snewirem">{{cite news |last1=Cappelletti |first1=John |last2=Bradley |first2=Ken |date=December 12, 2009 |title=I remember... |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/news/133138-i-remember-john-cappelletti-penn-states-1973-heisman-trophy-winn |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202021159/http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/news/133138-i-remember-john-cappelletti-penn-states-1973-heisman-trophy-winn |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=January 24, 2017 |magazine=Sporting News}}</ref> is one of the most memorable in the history of college sports.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> When [[Fulton J. Sheen|Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen]] was to follow Cappelletti's speech with a closing benediction, he said "'There is no need for a benediction. God has already blessed you with John Cappelletti.'"<ref name=":3" /> 

He was also a member of the Gamma Phi chapter of [[Phi Gamma Delta]] at Penn State.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cappelletti, John R. |url=https://phigamarchives.historyit.com/items/view/history/248445/member?search=bnVsbA== |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=PhiGam Archives |language=en}}</ref>

The relationship between Cappelletti and his younger brother, who died of childhood [[leukemia]] on April 8, 1976,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johncappelletti73heisman.com/bio.asp |title=::Biography - John Cappelletti:: |access-date=2009-02-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305032304/http://www.johncappelletti73heisman.com/bio.asp |archive-date=2009-03-05 }}</ref> was made into a [[television movie]] in 1977 called ''[[Something for Joey]]'';<ref name=":7" /> Cappelletti was played by [[Marc Singer]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Something for Joey |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/something-for-joey/cast/2000346313/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> The movie was based on the book of the same name written by Richard E. Peck and chronicled the bond between the two brothers as Cappelletti supported his young brother, ill with [[cancer]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Something for Joey |url=https://somethingforjoeynataie.weebly.com/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Something for Joey}}</ref>

During Cappelletti's senior season, Penn State played [[1973 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia]] in late October. The morning of the game, Cappelletti asked Joey what he wanted for his upcoming 11th birthday. Joey replied "I want you to score three touchdowns for me. No, four."
In ''[[Something for Joey]],'' a shocked Cappelletti is seen confiding to a teammate: "How am I going to score four touchdowns?"  At the end of the first half, Cappelletti had scored 3 touchdowns, well on his way to four. But head coach Joe Paterno did not like to run up the score against opponents, so when the game resumed after halftime, Paterno told Cappelletti he would be on the bench. Cappelletti quietly took his seat on the bench, without telling Paterno of Joey's wish. Late in the third quarter, one of Cappelletti's teammates told Paterno of Joey's wish. On Penn State's next possession, Paterno shouted "22" and Cappelletti took the field; he scored his fourth touchdown on the same possession,<ref name=capscfr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jg9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PUMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5540%2C5370793|newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=(Pennsylvania)|agency=Associated Press |title=Cappelletti scores four |date=October 28, 1973 |page=67}}</ref> and pointed to Joey as he ran off the field. The Lions scored three more touchdowns in the fourth quarter and won 62–14.<ref name=capscfr/>

===Later honors===
Cappelletti was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in 1993,<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |title=Inductee {{!}} John Raymond Cappelletti 1993 |url=https://www.cfbhall.com/inductees/john-cappelletti-1993/#:~:text=Inducted%201993&text=John%20Cappelletti%20was%20a%20defensive,averaged%205.3%20yards%20a%20try. |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240806225224/https://www.cfbhall.com/inductees/john-cappelletti-1993 |archive-date=2024-08-06 |access-date=2025-01-17 |language=en-US}}</ref> and is also a member of the [[National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame]] (1989).<ref>{{Cite web |title=NIASHF Inductees |url=https://niashf.org/home/niashf-inductees/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>  He was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 2009 Inductee Class.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Report |first=Daily News Staff |date=2012-07-08 |title=Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame inductees |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/sportsweek/20120708_List_of_inductees__Philadelphia_Sports_Hall_of_Fame.html |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2006, Cappelletti was inducted into the Regions Bank Orange Bowl Hall of Honor.<ref name=":4" />

The undefeated 1973 team was honored at [[Beaver Stadium]] during halftime of the [[2013 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|2013]] home opener on September 7, and Cappelletti received special recognition –  his No. 22 was [[Retired number|retired]] by the program, the first and only number to be retired by any sport at the university.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moyer |first=Josh |title=Retired No. 22 stressful for Heisman winner |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/colleges/psu/post/_/id/11854/retired-no-22-stressful-for-heisman-winner |website=ESPN.com |date=September 11, 2013 |access-date=September 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Penn State to Retire Cappelletti's No. 22 Jersey |url=https://gopsusports.com/news/2013/09/07/penn-state-to-retire-cappellettis-no-22-jersey |website=GoPSUSports.com |date=September 6, 2013 |access-date=September 1, 2024}}</ref>

==Professional career==
Cappelletti was the eleventh overall pick of the [[1974 NFL draft]], taken by the [[1974 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1974/draft.htm |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He played nine seasons in the league, five with the Rams {{nowrap|([[1974 Los Angeles Rams season|1974]]–[[1978 Los Angeles Rams season|1978]])}}, and four with the [[San Diego Chargers]]  {{nowrap|([[1980 San Diego Chargers season|1980]]−[[1983 San Diego Chargers season|1983]]).}}<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=John Cappelletti Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CappJo00.htm |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> From 1976-78 he started every game at [[Fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]] for the Rams. In 1976 and 1978, he had nearly 1,000 total yards rushing and receiving each year; leading the Rams in rushing in 1978.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=March 22, 1980 |title=Cappelletti Sent to Chargers |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1980/03/22/111145121.html?login=email&auth=login-email&pageNumber=16 |work=New York Times}}</ref> He missed the entire [[1979 Los Angeles Rams season|1979]] season due to a groin injury, and was traded to the Chargers before the 1980 season for a draft pick. Cappelletti said the Rams could have gotten more in the trade, but accommodated his wish to play in San Diego.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=gtmcap>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t1syAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B-gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3200%2C4244668 |newspaper=Gettysburg Times |location=(Pennsylvania) |agency=Associated Press |title=Cappelletti to miss 1979 season |date=August 21, 1979 |page=9}}</ref> Over three years with the Chargers, he played more sparingly each year, with less than 100 rushing attempts during that entire time.<ref name=":5" /> The groin injury ultimately led to his retirement.<ref name=":4" />

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1974 NFL season|1974]] !! [[1974 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| 14 || 1 || 55 || 198 || 3.6 || 20 || 0 || 6 || 35 || 5.8 || 9 || 0
|-
! [[1975 NFL season|1975]] !! [[1975 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| 13 || 0 || 48 || 158 || 3.3 || 30 || '''6''' || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1976 NFL season|1976]] !! [[1976 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| 14 || '''14''' || 177 || '''688''' || 3.9 || 38 || 1 || 30 || 302 || 10.1 || 32 || '''1'''
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! [[1977 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| 14 || '''14''' || '''178''' || 598 || 3.4 || 15 || 5 || 28 || 228 || 8.1 || 25 || '''1'''
|-
! [[1978 NFL season|1978]] !! [[1978 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| 14 || '''14''' || 174 || 604 || 3.5 || 26 || 3 || '''41''' || '''382''' || 9.3 || '''37''' || '''1'''
|-
! [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| 10 || 8 || 101 || 364 || 3.6 || '''46''' || 5 || 13 || 112 || 8.6 || 12 || 0
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| '''16''' || 6 || 68 || 254 || 3.7 || 30 || 4 || 10 || 126 || '''12.6''' || 25 || '''1'''
|-
! [[1982 NFL season|1982]] !! [[1982 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| 9 || 6 || 22 || 82 || 3.7 || 17 || 0 || 7 || 48 || 6.9 || 22 || 0
|-
! [[1983 NFL season|1983]] !! [[1983 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| 1 || 0 || 1 || 5 || '''5.0''' || 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 105 !! 63 !! 824 !! 2,951 !! 3.6 !! 46 !! 24 !! 135 !! 1,233 !! 9.1 !! 37 !! 4
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1974 NFL season|1974]] !! [[1974 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| '''2''' || 0 || 4 || 13 || 3.3 || 5 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 5.0 || 5 || 0
|-
! [[1975 NFL season|1975]] !! [[1975 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| '''2''' || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1.0 || 1 || '''1''' || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1976 NFL season|1976]] !! [[1976 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| '''2''' || '''2''' || '''35''' || '''113''' || 3.2 || '''16''' || 0 || '''3''' || '''28''' || 9.3 || 13 || 0
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! [[1977 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| 1 || 1 || 7 || 11 || 1.6 || 6 || 0 || 1 || 4 || 4.0 || 4 || 0
|-
! [[1978 NFL season|1978]] !! [[1978 Los Angeles Rams season|RAM]]
| '''2''' || '''2''' || 13 || 63 || 4.8 || 14 || 0 || 2 || 21 || '''10.5''' || '''15''' || 0
|-
! [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| '''2''' || 1 || 1 || 5 || '''5.0''' || 5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1982 NFL season|1982]] !! [[1982 San Diego Chargers season|SDG]]
| '''2''' || 1 || 2 || 5 || 2.5 || 5 || 0 || 1 || -2 || -2.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 14 !! 7 !! 63 !! 211 !! 3.3 !! 16 !! 1 !! 8 !! 56 !! 7.0 !! 15 !! 0
|}

==Personal life==
Cappelletti is married with four sons and resides in [[Laguna Niguel, California]]<ref name="PDN">{{cite news | url = http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20091221_Cappelletti_recalls_poor_conditions_at_first_PSU-LSU_bowl.html | title = Cappelletti recalls poor conditions at first PSU-LSU bowl | newspaper = [[Philadelphia Daily News]] | first = Bernard | last = Fernandez | date = 2009-12-21}}</ref> with his wife Betty (née Berry). His sister-in-law is the daughter of Heisman Trophy winner [[Alan Ameche]].<ref>{{Cite book  | last = Peck  | first = Richard E.  | title = Something for Joey  | publisher = Laurel Leaf  | date = March 1, 1983  | isbn = 0-553-27199-7}}</ref> The first time Cappelletti ever saw a Heisman Trophy was as a college sophomore visiting Ameche's home with his teenage brother, where Ameche's trophy was on the mantle.<ref name=":2" /> He is not related to former [[New England Patriots|Boston Patriots]] star and 1964 [[American Football League|AFL]] MVP [[Gino Cappelletti]].<ref name=sccaphei>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0losAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Nc0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7381%2C837937 |newspaper=Spartanburg Herald |location=South Carolina |agency=Associated Press |title=Cappelletti '73 Heisman Winner |date=December 5, 1973 |page=B2}}</ref>

Cappelletti also is a [[classic car]] enthusiast.<ref name="PDN"/>

==See also==
* [[List of Pennsylvania State University people]]
* [[List of people from Pennsylvania]]
* [[List of Phi Gamma Delta members]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.johncappelletti73heisman.com}}
* {{College Football HoF|2288}}
* {{Heisman|john-cappelletti}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=john-cappelletti |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=CappJo00 |rotoworld= }}

{{Navboxes
| title = John Cappelletti—awards and honors
| list1 =
{{Heisman Winners}}
{{Maxwell Award Winners}}
{{Walter Camp Award}}
{{UPI College Football Player of the Year}}
{{1973 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1974 NFL Draft}}
{{Los Angeles Rams 1974 draft navbox}}
{{RamsFirstPick}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cappelletti, John}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Rams players]]
[[Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Heisman Trophy winners]]
[[Category:Maxwell Award winners]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Laguna Niguel, California]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Orange County, California]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Walter Camp Award winners]]