| No. 15, 5 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | (1942-06-29)June 29, 1942 Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Died: | April 23, 2022(2022-04-23) (aged 79) Mason, Ohio, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Bishop McCort (Johnstown, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||
| College: | Buffalo | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1964 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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John Carl Stofa (June 29, 1942 – April 23, 2022)[1] was an American professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theAmerican Football League (AFL) andNational Football League (NFL).
John Stofa was born inJohnstown,Pennsylvania, the son of John and Ann Stofa.
He graduated fromBishop McCort High School. He attended theUniversity at Buffalo where, as a member of the Class of 1964, he was the Bulls starting quarterback in1962 and1963. As a starter those seasons, the Bulls were 6–3 and 5–3–1, respectively. He set passing and total yardage records as the Bulls' quarterback. He also playedbaseball at Buffalo from 1962 to 1964.[2]
Stofa began his pro football career in theAmerican Football League in 1966 for the expansion teamMiami Dolphins. He played his first two seasons with the Dolphins, playing in a total of eight games, starting two. With the Dolphins, he completed 31 passes in 59 attempts for 476 yards and four touchdowns. His first career touchdown pass was a 27-yard completion toJoe Auer in a 29–28 win over theHouston Oilers in the final game of the season.[3]
Stofa was traded to theAFLexpansion teamCincinnati Bengals prior to the 1968 season. He was the first Bengal in franchise history, signing with the team in December 1967.[4] He has used the license plate "1ST BNGL.[5]
He played one season (1968) with the Bengals, completing 85 passes in 177 attempts for 896 yards with five touchdowns and five interceptions as the Bengals went 3–11 in their inaugural season. Stofa shared time with fellow Bengals quarterbacksDewey Warren andSam Wyche.
Stofa holds the distinction of throwing the first touchdown pass in Bengals history. In the team's second game, he completed a 58-yard pass to tight endBob Trumpy in the third quarter of a 24–10 win over theDenver Broncos for the first win in team history.[6]
The following year, the Bengals draftedGreg Cook to become their starter. Stofa was waived during training camp, but then signed to the Bengals taxi squad. He was later claimed off waivers by the Dolphins.[7]
Stofa returned to the Dolphins for the 1969 season and for 1970, the Dolphins' first year in the NFL after theAFL–NFL Merger. Stofa, playing behindBob Griese andRick Norton, played in just one game for the Dolphins in 1969, with 14 completions in 23 attempts for 146 yards.
In 1970, backing up starterBob Griese, Stofa played in eight games, with 16 completions in 53 attempts for 240 yards and three touchdowns. It was the fifth and last season of his five-year AFL–NFL career.[8][9]
In 1974, Stofa returned to pro football, signing with theWorld Football League'sJacksonville Sharks in the league's only season. Backing up quarterbacksReggie Oliver andKay Stephenson, Stofa completed two passes in five attempts for 24 yards and one touchdown.[10][11]
He was inducted into the University at Buffalo Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973.[12] He retired after many years withMedical Mutual of Ohio and resided inMason, Ohio.[13] He was also a former board member of the University at Buffalo Blue and White Club, which holds annual fund-raising campaigns to provide scholarships for UB student-athletes and activities to enhance the visibility and reputation of the university's Division of Athletics.[14] Stofa died on April 23, 2022, at the age of 79.[15][16][17]
| Year | Team | # Games | Att. | Comp. | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Miami Dolphins (AFL) | 7 | 57 | 29 | 425 | 4 | 2 |
| 1967 | Miami Dolphins (AFL) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 51 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | Cincinnati Bengals (AFL) | 10 | 177 | 85 | 896 | 5 | 5 |
| 1969 | Miami Dolphins (AFL) | 1 | 23 | 14 | 146 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970 | Miami Dolphins (NFL) | 6 | 53 | 16 | 240 | 3 | 2 |