Place of birth: Miami, Florida Role American football player | FG%: 61.4 Positions Placekicker Name Bill Capece | |
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Date of birth: (1959-04-01) April 1, 1959 (age 56) College: Florida State University NFL draft: 1981 / Round: 12 / Pick: 324 | ||
Field goal attempts/made: 70 / 43 Education Florida State University | ||
William George Capece (born April 1, 1959 in Miami, Florida) is a former professional American football player who played placekicker for three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He attended Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood, Florida along with David Shula, and was invited by Shula's father, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, to attend Dolphin practices and work out with placekicker Garo Yepremian. It was Yepremian who provided Capece with the encouragement to consider a career in professional football. Capece attended Florida State University, where he graduated as the holder of FSU's records for single-season scoring (104 points), most field goals in a game (five, against Pittsburgh), and field goal percentage (100%). His 104 points in 1980 were the most by a kicker in national collegiate history. He was signed to a professional contract with the Buccaneers in 1981, during a week in which the Buccaneers cut both their placekicker and their punter. Ironically, Capece's signing marked the end of his former mentor's career, as Yepremian was the player he was signed to replace. After a late-1983 loss to the Green Bay Packers in which missed kicks provided the margin of defeat, coach John McKay made his famous announcement that "Capece is kaput". Capece returned as the team's placekicker the following season, but was waived following a poor performance in a preseason game against the Dolphins. His 41 field goals stood as the Buccaneers' career record until broken in 1987 by Donald Igwebuike.
