Warren Capone

Last updated
Warren Capone
No. 55, 59, 51
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1951-08-14) August 14, 1951 (age 71)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school: Catholic High School
(Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
College: LSU
Undrafted: 1975
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:12
Fumble Recoveries:1
Defensive Touchdowns:1
Player stats at NFL.com  ·  PFR

Warren Samuel Capone (born August 14, 1951) is a former American Football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. He also was a member of the Birmingham Americans and the Birmingham Vulcans in the World Football League. He played college football at Louisiana State University and is a member of the LSU Sports Hall of Fame.

Contents

Early years

Capone attended Catholic High School from 1966 to 1970. He was the heavyweight wrestling champion in the 1970 Baton Rouge City Championships.

College career

Capone accepted a football scholarship from Louisiana State University where he became a three-year starter and led the team in his last 2 seasons. He is one of only eight players in LSU football history to be named to the College Football All-America Team twice. He was also a two-time All-SEC selection in 1972 and 1973. He played in the Sun, Bluebonnet and Orange Bowls.

In 1988 he was inducted into the Louisiana State University Athletic Hall of Fame, [1] he was also named to the LSU All-Century team and is considered as one of the best linebackers in school history. [2]

Professional career

Birmingham Americans (WFL)

Although he was a great college player, he wasn't selected in the 1974 NFL Draft because he was considered small to play professional football. Instead of signing a rookie free agent contract for a team in the National Football League, he opted to sign with the Birmingham Americans of the World Football League.

As a rookie in 1974, Capone became the Americans starting middle linebacker, where he was known for his hard-hitting. [3] The team finished the regular season with a record of 15-5 and became the inaugural World Football League champions. [4]

In 1975, the Americans were replaced as the Birmingham WFL franchise by a new team called the Birmingham Vulcans. He was the leader of the defense, until the WFL folded in mid-season. [5]

Dallas Cowboys

On November 22, 1975, he was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. He was a backup linebacker and was mostly used on special teams. He played on Super Bowl X and blocked a punt in the game. [6] He became the only player to have participated in the championship games of both the WFL and NFL.

On August 4, 1976, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a conditional draft choice (not exercised). [7]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 1976, he was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the start of the season on September 5. [8]

New Orleans Saints

On October 26, 1976, he signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent. [9] He returned a fumble for a touchdown during the season. He was released on September 6, 1977. [10]

Personal life

On December 1, 2005, he started coaching High School Football at Christian Life Academy. [11] In his third season, Capone was named coach of the year, after guiding Christian Life Academy to a state Class 1A second-place finish and a 12-2 record, just two years after the Crusaders finished 0-9. [12] On July 26, 2010, he was let go by the school, finishing with a 19-25 record (12 of his 19 wins came in 2008) in 4 seasons. This would be his only coaching job in his career. He is now retired and currently resides in Baton Rouge with his wife and two children (Olivia and Ross).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</span> National Football League franchise in Tampa, Florida

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The club joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team, along with the Seattle Seahawks, and played its first season in the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Prior to the 1977 season, Tampa Bay switched conferences and divisions with Seattle, becoming a member of the NFC Central division. As a result of the league's realignment prior to the 2002 season, the Buccaneers joined three former NFC West teams to form the NFC South. The club is owned by the Glazer family and plays its home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Football League</span> Former American football league (1974–1975)

The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 and most of its second in 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The league folded midway through its second season, in 1975. A new minor football league began play as the World Football League in 2008 after acquiring the rights to its trademarks and intellectual property; it folded in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Pardee</span> American gridiron football player and coach (1936–2013)

John Perry Pardee was an American football linebacker and the only head coach to helm a team in college football, the National Football League (NFL), the United States Football League (USFL), the World Football League (WFL), and the Canadian Football League (CFL). Pardee was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Brooks</span> American football player and executive (born 1973)

Derrick Dewan Brooks is an American former football outside linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brooks played college football at Florida State, where he twice received consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Buccaneers in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro, Brooks was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 en route to winning the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVII. Following his retirement, Brooks served as co-owner and president of the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2011 to 2017. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

Jim Bates is a former American football coach in the National Football League (NFL), most recently serving as defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He primarily ran a 4–3 scheme, using fast, undersized linebackers. Bates served as interim head coach for the Miami Dolphins during the 2004 NFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Kiffin</span> American and football player and coach, Canadian football player.

Monte George Kiffin is an American football coach. He is currently a player personnel analyst at Ole Miss for his son, Lane Kiffin, He is widely considered to be one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history. Father of the widely imitated "Tampa 2" defense, Kiffin's concepts are among the most influential in modern college and pro football.

Dennis Frank Homan is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for five seasons for the Dallas Cowboys (1968–1970) and the Kansas City Chiefs (1971–1972). He later played for the Birmingham Americans (1974) and Birmingham Vulcans (1975) of the World Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lavonte David</span> American football player (born 1990)

Lavonte Lamar David is an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Nebraska, and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Since entering the NFL, David has been named to 3 All-Pro teams, 1 Pro Bowl appearance and won Super Bowl LV during the 2020 season, in a 31–9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Minter</span> American football player (born 1990)

Kevin Christopher Minter is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU, where he earned first-team all-Southeastern Conference honors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard Fournette</span> American football player (born 1995)

Leonard Joseph Fournette III is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, and was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwon Alexander</span> American football player (born 1994)

Kwon Alexander is an American football linebacker for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisiana State University. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Alexander has also played for the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints.

Ralph Donnell Coleman is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at North Carolina A&T University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deion Jones</span> American football player (born 1994)

Deion Jones is an American football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU), and was selected by Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Devante Bond is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.

Kendell Beckwith is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devin White</span> American football player (born 1998)

Devin Marcel White is an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU, and was drafted by the Buccaneers fifth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. He won a Super Bowl championship in 2021, in a 31–9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Queen</span> American football player (born 1999)

Patrick Queen is an American football inside linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU and was drafted 28th overall by the Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Divinity</span> American gridiron football player (born 1997)

Michael Divinity Jr. is an American football outside linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at LSU.

La'Darius Hamilton is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Texas, and originally signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damone Clark</span> American football player (born 2000)

Damone Clark is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU.

References

  1. ↑ "LSU Athletics Hall of Fame Members" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  2. ↑ "LSU's Top 50 players since 1940: the final results". The Times-Picayune.
  3. ↑ "Americans coast despite problems" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Birmingham Wins First World Bowl" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  5. ↑ "'Exhibitions mean nothing now' -- Bass" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Capone made his bones early on Cowboys' specialty team" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Bay Bucs Get Cowboys Veteran" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Bucs trim eight" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Transactions" . Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  11. ↑ "The surprise teams of 2008". sportsNOLA.com.
  12. ↑ "Ex-LSU, Saints linebacker Warren Capone dismissed as Christian Life head coach". sportsNOLA.com.
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.