Jake Kupp—The Saints First Pro Bowl Lineman

 By John Turney 

Jake Kupp

You heard it all the time on telecasts or read it in print (pixels), "Cooper Kupp's grandfather played in the NFL" but never any follow-up.

Well, Jake Kupp played 12 seasons and 154 games mostly with the Saints, but was with Dallas (a starter in 1965) and a stint with the Falcons (half of a season) and a year with Washington as well.

Most importantly he was All-Rookie in 1964 by UPI, he was the Saints first Pro Bowl guard and they didn't have another one until 1987 (Brad Edelman) and he is a member of the Saints Hall of Fame and was named to the teams 25th, 40th and 50th Anniversary teams. 

Kupp was a standout for the Huskies as and end. The Dallas Cowboys drafted him in the 9th round (116th overall) of the 1964 NFL Draft. Here is what the Cowboys media guide said in 1965—

He joined Cowboys as tight end but was shifted to guard

early in camp and was a top athlete in college, he was a

baseball pitcher and coaches felt he could have played

basketball . . . good pass catcher in college and was

also a standout defensive end . . . has good speed and

strength . . . his hometown is Sunnyside, Wash.

Kupp started for Dallas in 1965, was traded to Washington where he played mostly tight end and was left unprotected in the expansion draft and he  was selected by the Saints. He played half of a season there and then was waived. Again a free agent he re-signed with the Saints where he played the remainder of his career.

So now folks who read this post will know Jak Kupp was more than juts Cooper Kupp's grandfather—he was a good player stuck on a poor Saints team.