The new memoir, Joe Kapp, “The Toughest Chicano”: A Life of Leadership, details the remarkable life and legacy of one of football’s boldest and bravest players.

In 1969, the Minnesota Vikings were domininant. On and off the turf of the old Metropolitan Stadium, the Purple People Eaters reigned supreme. At the center of it all was unconventional quarterback Joe Kapp.

Kapp joined the Vikings with the tenacity to succeed. With the motto ''40 for 60,'' he inspired the team's forty players to give it their all every minute, every hour, every game. Kapp helped mold the Vikings into a winning team, taking the 1969 NFL Champions title and blazing their way to their first Super Bowl appearance. Later that year, Sports Illustrated featured Kapp on its cover, dubbing him the ''Toughest Chicano'' for his Hispanic pride and ferocious style of play.

Joe Kapp, ''The Toughest Chicano'' honors the life, leadership, and legacy of one of history's toughest football players. Inside, you'll find a behind-the-scenes look at pivotal moments in football history, Kapp's own game-by-game analysis of the 1969 season, his landmark lawsuit against the N.F.L., memoirs about his early life and colorful coaching career, “The Play” (the legendary last second 5 lateral kick-off return to beat Stanford and John Elway), and stories the sets of iconic sports films like The Longest Yard. As a player, coach, and father, Joe Kapp's legacy shows that every player counts if they give their all, every minute, every game.

Order your copy of Joe’s memoir now

Joe Kapp and his co-authors are donating proceeds from The Toughest Chicano to help fund scholarships for first time Latinx UC Berkeley students through the Joe Kapp and Family Scholarship Fund.