Gary Cuozzo
Encyclopedia
Gary Samuel Cuozzo was a former professional American football
player. An undrafted
quarterback
from the University of Virginia
, Cuozzo played in 10 NFL
seasons from 1963-1972. He began his NFL career on the Baltimore Colts
as a backup to Johnny Unitas
. When Unitas was injured in 1965, Cuozzo replaced him until getting sidelined by injury as well. He was traded to the expansion team
New Orleans Saints
in 1967, where he was the first starting quarterback in the franchise's history. The following year he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings
. After four years in Minnesota, Cuozzo was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
in 1972, retiring the following year. He returned to his hometown of Middletown, New Jersey, to start an orthodontics
practice.
In 1990 his oldest son Gary Jr., a/k/a Chip, was murdered in Miami during a drug deal, and Cuozzo gave talks to teens about avoiding drugs. He served as national chairman of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
from 1995 to 1998.
Cuozzo played high school football at Glen Ridge High School
in Glen Ridge, New Jersey
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. An undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, Cuozzo played in 10 NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
seasons from 1963-1972. He began his NFL career on the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
as a backup to Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas
John Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
. When Unitas was injured in 1965, Cuozzo replaced him until getting sidelined by injury as well. He was traded to the expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in 1967, where he was the first starting quarterback in the franchise's history. The following year he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. After four years in Minnesota, Cuozzo was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in 1972, retiring the following year. He returned to his hometown of Middletown, New Jersey, to start an orthodontics
Orthodontics
Orthodontics, orthodontia, or orthodonture is the first specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions , which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both...
practice.
In 1990 his oldest son Gary Jr., a/k/a Chip, was murdered in Miami during a drug deal, and Cuozzo gave talks to teens about avoiding drugs. He served as national chairman of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
from 1995 to 1998.
Cuozzo played high school football at Glen Ridge High School
Glen Ridge High School
Glen Ridge High School is a comprehensive six-year public high school serving students in grades 7-12 in Glen Ridge, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Glen Ridge Public Schools. GRHS is accredited by the New Jersey Department of Education.Excellence in academic...
in Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Glen Ridge is a borough in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,527. In 2010, Glen Ridge was ranked as the 38th Best Place to live by New Jersey Monthly magazine....
.