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| John Cappelletti - Upper Darby |
Born in 1952, John Capelletti is a former American football running back for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.
He grew up in Upper Darby and attended Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill.
Prior to his professional career, Capelletti attended Penn State University and as a senior tailback, he gained 1,522 yards on 286 carries scoring 17 touchdowns as the Nittany Lions claimed an undefeated season. In 1973, John was awarded the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the UPI College Football Player of the Year award, the Walter Camp Award and the Chic Harley Award.
The relationship between Capelletti and his younger brother, Joey, who died of leukemia in 1976, was made into a TV movie called Something for Joey.
Capelletti 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.
At Penn State in 2013, Capelletti's jersey number 22 was retired at a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of his winning of the Heisman and the undefeated 1973 team. It is the first number retired by any Penn State sport.
