John Cappelletti

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John Cappelletti

Date of birth	August 9, 1952
Place of birth	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Position(s)	running back
College	Penn State
NFL Draft	1974 / Round 1
Awards	1973 Heisman Trophy 1973 Maxwell Award
Statistics	Pro Football Reference DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1974-1978 1980-1983	Los Angeles Rams San Diego Chargers
College Hall-of-Fame

John Cappelletti (born August 9, 1952) is a former professional American football running back for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers. Prior to his professional career, he attended the Pennsylvania State University, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1973.

Cappelletti attended Monsignor Bonner High School in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. As a senior tailback at Penn State, he gained 1,522 yards on 286 carries scoring 17 touchdowns as the Nittany Lions rolled to an undefeated season. He was awarded the 1973 Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award, as well as receiving All-America honors. In his two-year running career, he gained 100 yards in thirteen games and had a career total of 2,639 yards and twenty-nine touchdowns for an average of 120 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Cappelletti's Heisman acceptance speech, where he dedicated his award to his dying brother Joey, is one of the most memorable in the history of college sports.

The relationship between John and his younger brother Joey was made into a television movie in 1977 called Something for Joey. Cappelletti was played by Marc Singer. The movie was based on the book of the same name written by Richard E. Peck.

He went on to play professional football from 1974 through 1983 for the Los Angeles Rams and the San Diego Chargers. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

He is currently a businessman and father of 4 sons residing in Laguna Niguel, California.