Joe Scarpati

Joe Scarpati

No. 21
Position:	Safety
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1943-03-05) March 5, 1943
Place of birth:	Brooklyn, New York
Height:
Weight:
Career information
College:	North Carolina State
AFL draft:	1964 / Round: 13 / Pick: 100 (By the Boston Patriots)
Career history
Philadelphia Eagles (1964-1969) New Orleans Saints (1970)
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Joseph Henry Scarpati, Jr. (born March 5, 1943) is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints. He was the holder to Tom Dempsey's record breaking 63-yard field goal. Scarpati played halfback in college football at North Carolina State University, earning second team All-ACC for football and Academic All-ACC honors in 1962 and 1963. He was selected in the thirteenth round of the 1964 AFL Draft by the Boston Patriots. He came off of a knee operation but was at full speed at the free safety position in 1969. In the 1969 season, he recorded 4 interceptions and ran a total of 54 yards. His average interception run was 13.5 yards and he scored 1 touchdown. In an interesting twist, a few weeks after Dempsey's record-setting kick, both Saints quarterback Billy Kilmer (who was widely believed to be holder of Tom Dempsey's record setting kick), was traded to the Washington Redskins, and Scarpati would retire from professional football just days apart.