Legendary Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp dead at 85

Joe Kapp, the vintage Vikings quarterback who led Minnesota to its first Super Bowl berth, has died after a 15-year battle with dementia.

His family confirmed his death via the San Francisco Chronicle. He was 85.

Old-time Vikings fans might remember that Kapp led a most unconventional NFL career. He gained entry into the NFL in 1967, but only after enjoying an incredible career north of the border in the Canadian Football League. In the CFL, Kapp led two different teams to the playoffs. His biggest achievement was when he quarterbacked the B.C. Lions to a Grey Cup victory.

Kapp finally was ready for the NFL. But he started playing for the Vikings only because of a rare CFL and NFL trade. First, three AFL teams pursued Kapp — the Raiders, Chargers and Houston Oilers. But he decided on the Vikings. It required some wheeling and dealing with two CFL teams.

Joe Kapp was the kind of quarterback who loved to run the ball. He welcomed the contact. On one play, he knocked out a Cleveland Browns linebacker. And thanks to his hard-nosed style of play, the Vikings earned a spot in the playoffs for the first time in team history. That was in 1968. Then in 1969, Kapp and the Vikings earned a spot in the Super Bowl, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Sports Illustrated put Kapp on its cover, dubbing him as the “Toughest Chicano.” (Kapp’s mother was Hispanic).

He earned team MVP honors. But Joe Kapp turned down the trophy and probably made himself even more popular. “There is no one most valuable Viking,” Kapp said at the team’s awards banquet. “Just 40 most valuable Vikings.” He’d coined the phrase 40 for 60. That meant the 40 players battling the entire 60 minutes of the game.

Check out some Joe Kapp highlights, then read on for even more on this unconventional NFL star.