Gary Samuel Cuozzo (born April 26, 1941) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers. After football, he had a career as an orthodontist, and spoke publicly to youth about the dangers of drug abuse, after the death of his son in a drug related shooting.
Cuozzo was born on April 26, 1941, in Montclair, New Jersey, and grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He lettered in football, basketball and track at Glen Ridge High School, from which he graduated with honors in 1959. He received All-State recognition as a football and basketball player, and he led both teams to state championships in 1958. In 1959, Cuozzo won individual state titles in discus and shot put.[1][2][3][4][5]
Football career
University of Virginia
Cuozzo was widely recruited and received a scholarship to the University of Virginia.[citation needed] Cuozzo played quarterback at the University of Virginia from 1960 to 1962. He was named the UPI “Back of the Week” on multiple occasions in 1961 and 1962. He was a pre-med student, had a 3.68 grade point average, was a member of the Dean's list, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.[6] He was the quarterback for the South in the North-South college all-star game in 1962, and was an academic All-American.[7]
Baltimore Colts
An undraftedquarterback after graduating from the University of Virginia, Cuozzo was signed as a free agent by coach Weeb Ewbank of the Baltimore Colts. He unexpectedly made the team, in large part because his intelligence matched his physical skills.[8] Cuozzo began his NFL career on the Baltimore Colts as a backup to NFL legend Johnny Unitas.[6] In 1963, he roomed with childhood hero, future Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Raymond Berry, who taught Cuozzo how to work on timing his passes. Cuozzo and Berry would later hold summer camps for children along with Green Bay Packers receiver Carroll Dale.[8][9] Cuozzo would go on to play in 10 NFL seasons from 1963 to 1972.[1]
When Unitas was injured in 1965, Cuozzo replaced him and in his first start set a new NFL record for most touchdown passes in one game, with five (two to Jimmy Orr, one to Berry, one to hall of famer Lenny Moore and one to Willie Richardson).[6][10] After Cuozzo was sidelined by injury as well a few games later (which would require shoulder surgery), coach Don Shula resorted to using running back Tom Matte as quarterback, all the way to the 1965 NFL Championship Game against the Packers.[11][12]
The trade turned out badly for New Orleans, but great for Baltimore. Cuozzo only played one season with the Saints, and Allison was cut at the end of training camp. Billy Bob Stewart, who was drafted in the 17th round, was cut shortly after the beginning of training camp. The Colts used the first overall pick in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft[16] to select Michigan StateAll-AmericanBubba Smith, who became an All-Pro three times and was Baltimore's starting left defensive end in Super Bowl III and V.[17] Curry was an All-Pro center for the Colts in 1971 and 1972, and was the starting center for the Colts in Super Bowls III and V.[18][19] The Colts used the other 1967 draft pick (in the seventh round), to select an offensive lineman named Norman Davis who played one season in Baltimore and later played for the Saints.
Minnesota Vikings
After losing the Saints' starting job later in 1967 to Billy Kilmer, Cuozzo was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in January 1968.[20] He became the Vikings' starting quarterback in 1970 when Joe Kapp, the team's Most Valuable Player in 1969, held out and was traded to the Boston Patriots.[21][22] In his first game as a Viking, Cuozzo lead the team to a 27–10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of Super Bowl IV. Cuozzo was named the NFC Player of the Week in a week 7 game against the Detroit Lions.[23] He led the Vikings to the NFL Central Division championship.[22]
The 1970 Vikings posted the NFL's best regular season record at 12–2, but lost in an NFC Divisional playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers at home.[24][25]The 1971 Vikings used three different starting quarterbacks. Cuozzo started 8 of the team's 14 games, with Bob Lee (who was also the team's punter) starting 4 and Norm Snead starting 2. [26] The Vikings had an outstanding regular season record, finishing 11–3 and topping the NFC Central Division. Lee started the Viking's first-round playoff game at home, but Cuozzo came off the bench in the second half. The eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys won the game 20-12.[27] During the ensuing off-season, Cuozzo was traded to the Saint Louis Cardinals for wide receiver John Gilliam and two 1973 draft picks. [28]
St. Louis Cardinals
Cardinals coach Bob Hollway was familiar with Cuozzo, having served as Minnesota's defensive coordinator under Bud Grant prior to leaving for St. Louis in 1971.[29] Cuozzo was part of a chaotic four-quarterback rotation with Jim Hart (started three games), Pete Beathard, and Tim Van Galder (started five games) in 1972, with Cuozzo starting six games,[30] but when Don Coryell took over as Cardinals coach in 1973, he named Hart the undisputed starter,[31] and he would hold the job fulltime to 1980, and then part time until 1983.[32]
In 1990, his oldest son Gary Jr., a/k/a Chip, was murdered in Miami during a drug deal, and Cuozzo later began speaking to teens in high schools about avoiding drugs.[9] Much of what he said came from what he learned spending time with Raymond Berry, and Berry's faith and deep care for others.[10] Cuozzo served as national chairman of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes from 1995 to 1998.[6]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
