Six
foot two inch 220 pound John Skorupan was small for a tight end by
current college and professional
football standards but he still had successful gridiron careers at Beaver
High School, Penn State, and with the Buffalo Bills. At Beaver, John lettered in basketball and baseball, but it was as a football tight
end and defensive end that he was a three year starter and captain
as a senior. He was named first team high school All American by
Parade Magazine, second team All American by Scholastic Magazine,
and All WPIAL and All State, and he capped his scholastic career
playing in the Big 33 game in 1969. At Penn State, John played in
three bowl games under Coach Joe Paterno, and the highlight of
John's college career
came in 1970 when he intercepted a pass in a televised game against
Army and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. That year he tied
Jack Ham for the team lead with 91 tackles and in 1972 was named
first team All American by the Football Writers Association of
America. John was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1973 and played in
the College All Star Game against the Miami Dolphins, where he
intercepted a Bob Griese pass. In 1973 John became a fixture at
linebacker for the Bills and was named to the NFL All Rookie team.
Led by OJ Simpson, the Bills made the playoffs in 1974 but were
whipped by the champion Pittsburgh Steelers, 32-14. John got revenge
the following year by helping the Bills upset the Steelers at Three
Rivers Stadium, 30-21, before the Steelers repeated as Super Bowl
champions. Injuries began to hamper John, and he was traded to
the New York Giants in 1978, finally retiring in 1980 to work as a salesman for Westinghouse Electric Supply.
Six
foot two inch 220 pound John Skorupan was small for a tight end by
current college and professional
football standards but he still had successful gridiron careers at Beaver
High School, Penn State, and with the Buffalo Bills. At Beaver, John lettered in basketball and baseball, but it was as a football tight
end and defensive end that he was a three year starter and captain
as a senior. He was named first team high school All American by
Parade Magazine, second team All American by Scholastic Magazine,
and All WPIAL and All State, and he capped his scholastic career
playing in the Big 33 game in 1969. At Penn State, John played in
three bowl games under Coach Joe Paterno, and the highlight of
John's college career
came in 1970 when he intercepted a pass in a televised game against
Army and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. That year he tied
Jack Ham for the team lead with 91 tackles and in 1972 was named
first team All American by the Football Writers Association of
America. John was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1973 and played in
the College All Star Game against the Miami Dolphins, where he
intercepted a Bob Griese pass. In 1973 John became a fixture at
linebacker for the Bills and was named to the NFL All Rookie team.
Led by OJ Simpson, the Bills made the playoffs in 1974 but were
whipped by the champion Pittsburgh Steelers, 32-14. John got revenge
the following year by helping the Bills upset the Steelers at Three
Rivers Stadium, 30-21, before the Steelers repeated as Super Bowl
champions. Injuries began to hamper John, and he was traded to
the New York Giants in 1978, finally retiring in 1980 to work as a salesman for Westinghouse Electric Supply.