MINNEAPOLIS - The man who led the Vikings to their first Super Bowl is taking on a new opponent.
Joe Kapp revealed over the weekend that he has Alzheimer's. But he has a game plan that will ultimately help others. Kapp's reputation as a player was that he's tough. He gave and took some brutal hits.
"If you look at the evidence, I mean, I got knocked out in games. A lot of times you just pop right up," Kapp said.
And now, at age 77, Kapp is revealing that he's suffering from Alzheimer's disease. And when he dies, he plans to donate his brain to dementia research.
"It's hard to concentrate," Kapp said. "It's hard to remember. I write everything down. It's actually good for writing a book because I write everything down. I have to. Because I can't remember who called me this morning."
"Because of this, we're in a race against time," said Minneapolis attorney Jeff O'Brien, who is trying to help Kapp publish a book.
Kapp wrote a draft story about the 1969 Vikings season and is currently working on a memoir about his entire career -- including high-profile contract fights with the NFL perhaps more reminiscent of today's era.
"Because I think it's a story that needs to be heard," O'Brien said.
Now Kapp's is telling us his diagnosis puts him in the same category as other retired players whose memory loss and other cognitive issues are at least partly attributed by doctors to playing football. But Kapp doesn't regret playing.
"Oh my goodness, no. That would negate the life," Kapp said.
He's hoping doctors can learn from his memory loss and help long after he's gone. When it comes to concussions in football, Kapp is very adamant in his belief that helmets are to blame -- because he says players use them essentially as weapons during the game.
Kapp thinks the NFL would be safer if they went back to using old-fashioned leather helmets because players would no longer lead with their head in hits or tackles.
Joe Kapp revealed over the weekend that he has Alzheimer's. But Kapp has a game plan that will ultimately help others.he man who led the Vikings to their first Super Bowl is taking on a new oppon
Joe Kapp's reputation as a player was that he's tough. He gave and took some brutal hits.
"If you look at the evidence, I mean, I got knocked out in games. A lot of times you just pop right up," Kapp said.
And now, at age 77, Kapp is revealing that he's suffering from Alzheimer's disease. And when he dies, he plans to donate his brain to dementia research.
"It's hard to concentrate," Kapp said. "It's hard to remember. I write everything down. It's actually good for writing a book because I write everything down. I have to. Because I can't remember who called me this morning."
"Because of this, we're in a race against time," said Minneapolis attorney Jeff O'Brien, who is trying to help Kapp publish a book. Kapp wrote a draft story about the 1969 Vikings season and is currently working on a memoir about his entire career -- including high-profile contract fights with the NFL perhaps more reminiscent of today's era.
"Because I think it's a story that needs to be heard," O'Brien said.
Now Kapp's is telling us his diagnosis puts him in the same category as other retired players whose memory loss and other cognitive issues are at least partly attributed by doctors to playing football.
But Kapp doesn't regret playing.
"Oh my goodness, no. That would negate the life," Kapp said.
He's hoping doctors can learn from his memory loss and help long after he's gone.
When it comes to concussions in football, Kapp is very adamant in his belief that helmets are to blame -- because he says players use them essentially as weapons during the game.
Kapp thinks the NFL would be safer if they went back to using old-fashioned leather helmets because players would no longer lead with their head in hits or tackles.
