| John Powers | |
| Number: | 88, 83 |
| Position: | Tight end |
| Birth Date: | June 15, 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Harvard, Illinois, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Rockford, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 2 |
| Weight Lbs: | 215 |
| High School: | Campion Preparatory School |
| College: | Notre Dame |
| Draftyear: | 1962 |
| Draftround: | 9 |
| Draftpick: | 171 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Statlabel1: | Games played |
| Statvalue1: | 49 |
| Statlabel2: | Receptions |
| Statvalue2: | 9 |
| Statlabel3: | Receiving yards |
| Statvalue3: | 209 |
| Statlabel4: | Average |
| Statvalue4: | 23.2 |
| Pfr: | PoweJo00.htm |
John Paul Powers (June 15, 1940 – January 12, 1978), born John Paul Theiss, was an American college and professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1960s.[1]
He was born in Harvard, Illinois.[1] He attended Campion Preparatory School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.[2]
Powers attended the University of Notre Dame, where he played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.[3] He graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree, and later earned a master's degree in rehabilitation administration from DePaul University.[2]
He was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round (117th overall pick) of the 1962 NFL draft, and he played for the Steelers from to .[3] He played a fifth a final season for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings in .[1] He appeared in 49 regular season games during his five-year NFL career, mostly as a blocking lineman.[3] He had his most productive receiving year for the Steelers in, when he had eight catches for 198 yards, with an impressive 24.1 yards per reception average.[3]
Powers subsequently was a player-coach for the Des Moines Warriors and coached the Chicago Owls football team of the Continental Football League.
He died on January 12, 1978; he was 37 years old.