| No. 22, 29, 18 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Guard | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | December 23, 1905 Whiting, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Died: | July 29, 1986 (aged 80) Hobart, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 221 lb (100 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Whiting (IN) | ||||||
| College: | Chattanooga | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||
Joseph Edwards Kopcha (December 23, 1905 – July 29, 1986) was an American professional football player who was a guard for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Chicago Bears.
Kopcha attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he studied to become an obstetrician,[1] and played professional football in order to fund his university studies.[2] Kopcha played for the Detroit Lions when he obtained an internship at Harper Hospital, after previously studying at the Rush Medical College when playing for the Bears.[3] Kopcha used his knowledge to redesign the shoulder pads worn by players, with his basic designs still in use today.[4]
Kopcha was of Polish descent.[5]
