View source for Dave Casper

{{Short description|American football player (born 1952)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Dave Casper
| image       =
| image_size  = 
| alt         = 
| caption     = 
| number      = 87, 44
| position    = [[Tight end]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1952|02|02}}
| birth_place = [[Bemidji, Minnesota]], U.S.
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 4
| weight_lb   = 240
| high_school = [[Chilton High School (Wisconsin)|Chilton]] <br> ([[Chilton, Wisconsin]])
| college     = [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] (1971–1973)
| draftyear   = 1974
| draftround  = 2
| draftpick   = 45
| pastteams   =
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ({{NFL Year|1974|1980}})
* [[Houston Oilers]] (1980–{{NFL Year|1983}})
* [[Minnesota Vikings]] (1983)
* [[Los Angeles Raiders]] ({{NFL Year|1984}})
| highlights  =
* [[List of Super Bowl champions|Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XI|XI]])
* 4× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1976 All-Pro Team|1976]]–[[1979 All-Pro Team|1979]])
* 5× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1977 Pro Bowl|1976]]–[[1981 Pro Bowl|1980]])
* [[NFL 1970s All-Decade Team]]
* [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|1973]])
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1973 College Football All-America Team|1973]])
| statlabel1  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receptions]]
| statvalue1  = 378
| statlabel2  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Receiving yards]]
| statvalue2  = 5,216
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Receiving touchdowns]]
| statvalue3  = 52
| pfr         = C/CaspDa00
| HOF         = dave-casper
| CollegeHOF  = 2325 
}}

'''David John Casper''' (born February 2, 1952) nicknamed "'''the Ghost'''",<ref name="PostCrescent" /> is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[tight end]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL), primarily with the [[Oakland Raiders]]. Casper has been inducted into both the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] (2012)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/Nearly-40-years-after-leading-Irish-by-Bama-for-national-Casper-enters-Hall-of-Fame-182125301.html |title=New Hall of Famer Casper reflects on Irish '73 national title win over Alabama |access-date=December 5, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209103012/http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/Nearly-40-years-after-leading-Irish-by-Bama-for-national-Casper-enters-Hall-of-Fame-182125301.html |archive-date=February 9, 2013 }}</ref> and the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] (2002).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=43|title=Dave Casper - Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|website=www.profootballhof.com}}</ref>

==Early life==
Casper spent his first three years of high school at [[St. Edward Central Catholic High School (Elgin, Illinois)|St. Edward Central Catholic High School]] in [[Elgin, Illinois]], and his senior season was at [[Chilton High School (Wisconsin)|Chilton High School]] in [[Chilton, Wisconsin]],<ref name="PostCrescent">{{cite web|url=http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090828/APC020501/908280528/1892/AAA&located=rss|title=Brett Christopherson column: 1969 Chilton High School Tigers recall 'the greatest days'|last=Christopherson|first=Brett|date=August 28, 2009|publisher=[[The Post Crescent]]|access-date=September 7, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924080508/http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090828/APC020501/908280528/1892/AAA%26located%3Drss|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> 35 miles south of [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]]. He was a member of the 1969 Chilton team that outscored their opponents 363–0 in eight games.<ref name="PostCrescent" /> The small-town team was ranked eighth in the state behind the largest schools in the state; there was no playoff system at the time.<ref name="PostCrescent" />

==College career==
Casper played collegiate football at the [[University of Notre Dame]], where he earned Honorable Mention All-America for the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Fighting Irish]] as a tackle in 1972.  In 1973, he was an [[1973 College Football All-America Team|All-American]] on the 1973 National Championship Team. He was the 1973 ND Offensive MVP as a tight end and recorded 21 receptions for 335 yards and four touchdowns in his career.

Casper earned his [[bachelor's degree]] in economics and graduated in 1974. He was also the captain of the Omicron Delta Epsilon Honor Society for Economics. In 2012, he was inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

==Professional career==
Casper was selected with the 45th overall pick in the second round of the [[1974 NFL draft]] by the [[1974 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1974/draft.htm |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Casper only caught a total of nine passes his first two seasons, but was a top-ten receiver in their championship season in [[1976 Oakland Raiders season|1976]], in which he had 53 catches for 691 yards and 10 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1978 NFL Receiving |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1978/receiving.htm |access-date=2025-07-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Ghost to the Post===
{{Main|Ghost to the Post}}
One of Casper's most memorable games as a Raider came in a [[NFL playoffs, 1977-78|1977 Divisional Playoff]] game against the [[1977 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]]. Casper made an over-the-head catch of a soft pass lofted by [[Kenny Stabler|Ken Stabler]] on "The Ghost to the Post." The 42-yard reception set up a game-tying field goal that forced overtime and the Raiders went on to a 37–31 victory with Casper's 10-yard touchdown reception in the second overtime period. He finished the game with four receptions for 70 yards and three touchdowns.

===The Holy Roller===
{{Main|Holy Roller (American football)}}
Casper was also involved in another famous NFL contest in [[1978 Oakland Raiders season|1978]] on September 10 between the Raiders and [[1978 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]]. The Raiders trailed the Chargers 20–14 with just ten seconds left in the game when Oakland quarterback Ken Stabler, about to be sacked, dropped the football. He flicked it toward the goal line in an effort to save the game and Raiders running back [[Pete Banaszak]] recovered the ball at the San Diego 12-yard line but dropped the ball again and it rolled further forward. Casper kicked the ball at the San Diego 5-yard line and finally recovered it in the end zone to tie the game. The extra point attempt was good and Oakland won the game by a point, 21–20. Stabler, Banaszak and Casper all admitted afterwards that they had deliberately fumbled or batted the ball towards the end zone.<ref name="hyman">{{cite news|last=Hyman|first=Mac|title=Sport Shots|newspaper=Oakland Post|date=September 15, 1978|page=8|quote=Stabler said he intentionally fumbled, Pete B. said he batted the ball forward and Dave Casper said that he knew that if he fell on the ball on the one- or two-yard line the game would have been over, so he kicked it along into the end zone and fell on it.}}</ref>

The Chargers protested on the grounds that Stabler's fumble was actually a forward pass and therefore should have been ruled incomplete when it hit the ground. As a result of the play, the NFL changed its rules to make it illegal for the teammate of a ball carrier to advance the ball if the ball carrier fumbles on fourth down or in the last two minutes of the game.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1737 | title=The "Holy Roller" | publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] | access-date=November 30, 2009 | quote=During the off-season, the league added a provision to the rule book about fumbles after the two-minute warning that allows only the player who fumbled the ball to advance it.}}</ref>

===Other career highlights===
Casper caught the first touchdown of [[Super Bowl XI]], a 32–14 Raiders victory over the [[Minnesota Vikings]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XI - Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings - January 9th, 1977 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197701090min.htm |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>  As a Raider, Casper was selected to four straight [[Pro Bowls]] (1976–1979).

Along with his three touchdown catches in the "[[Ghost to the Post]]" game, Casper caught two more TD's in the 1977 AFC Championship Game.  His five TD's in a postseason is an NFL record for tight ends that still stands today.

Midway through the 1980 season Casper was traded to the [[Houston Oilers]] for their first and second-round draft picks.  He was reunited with his former Raider quarterback, Ken Stabler, when he was traded to the Oilers.  He finished the 1980 season with 56 receptions and was named to his fifth [[Pro Bowl]].  However, the trade caused him to miss out on a second Super Bowl ring, as the Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl that year, beating Houston in the playoffs on the way there.  After the 3rd week of the 1983 season, Casper and quarterback [[Archie Manning]] were traded to the [[Minnesota Vikings]]. In 1984, he returned to the Raiders (who won another Super Bowl the year before) for his final NFL season.

Casper finished his pro career with 378 receptions, 5,216 yards and 52 touchdowns.  In 2002, he was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].  He was the 13th Raider to be inducted.

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
| '''Bold'''
| Career high
|}

=== Regular season ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team
!colspan="2"| Games
!colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1974 NFL season|1974]] !! [[1974 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 14 || 0 || 4 || 26 || 6.5 || 17 || 3
|-
! [[1975 NFL season|1975]] !! [[1975 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 14 || 0 || 5 || 71 || 14.2 || 20 || 1
|-
! [[1976 NFL season|1976]] !! style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"| [[1976 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 13 || 13 || 53 || 691 || 13.0 || 30 || '''10'''
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! [[1977 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 14 || 14 || 48 || 584 || 12.2 || 27 || 6
|-
! [[1978 NFL season|1978]] !! [[1978 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 16 || 16 || '''62''' || '''852''' || 13.7 || 44 || 9
|-
! [[1979 NFL season|1979]] !! [[1979 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 15 || 12 || 57 || 771 || 13.5 || 42 || 3
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 6 || 6 || 22 || 270 || 12.3 || 35 || 1
|-
! [[1980 Houston Oilers season|HOU]]
| 10 || 9 || 34 || 526 || 15.5 || 43 || 3
|-
! [[1981 NFL season|1981]] !! [[1981 Houston Oilers season|HOU]]
| 16 || 11 || 33 || 572 || '''17.3''' || '''52''' || 8
|-
! [[1982 NFL season|1982]] !! [[1982 Houston Oilers season|HOU]]
| 9 || 9 || 36 || 573 || 15.9 || 38 || 6
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[1983 NFL season|1983]] !! [[1983 Houston Oilers season|HOU]]
| 3 || 2 || 7 || 79 || 11.3 || 17 || 0
|-
! [[1983 Minnesota Vikings season|MIN]]
| 10 || 8 || 13 || 172 || 13.2 || 34 || 0
|-
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] !! [[1984 Los Angeles Raiders season|RAI]]
| 7 || 0 || 4 || 29 || 7.3 || 13 || 2
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 147 !! 100 !! 378 !! 5,216 !! 13.8 !! 52 !! 52
|}

=== Playoffs ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team
!colspan="2"| Games
!colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! GP !! GS !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1974 NFL season|1974]] !! [[1974 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[1975 NFL season|1975]] !! [[1975 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 2 || 0 || 6 || 69 || 11.5 || 23 || 1
|-
! [[1976 NFL season|1976]] !! style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"| [[1976 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 3 || 3 || '''9''' || 122 || 13.6 || 26 || 1
|-
! [[1977 NFL season|1977]] !! [[1977 Oakland Raiders season|OAK]]
| 2 || 2 || '''9''' || '''141''' || '''15.7''' || '''42''' || '''5'''
|-
! [[1980 NFL season|1980]] !! [[1980 Houston Oilers season|HOU]]
| 1 || 1 || 3 || 31 || 10.3 || 12 || 0
|-
! [[1984 NFL season|1984]] !! [[1984 Los Angeles Raiders season|RAI]]
| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| !! 11 !! 7 !! 27 !! 363 !! 13.4 !! 42 !! 7
|}

==Current activities==
In recent years{{When|date=August 2024}}, Casper has been working for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in [[Walnut Creek, California]] (and now [[Vernon Hills, Illinois]]) assisting business owners with financial planning and consultation work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.david-casper.com/|title=David John Casper, CLU, ChFC, AEP, CASL|website=www.david-casper.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Profootballhof|dave-casper}}
* {{College Football HoF}}
* {{Footballstats |nfl=dave-casper |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=C/CaspDa00 |rotoworld=}}

{{1973 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football navbox}}
{{1973 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Raiders1974DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl XI}}
{{NFL1970s}}
{{Walter Camp Alumni of the Year}}
{{2002 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Casper, Dave}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football tight ends]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Vikings players]]
[[Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders players]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Raiders players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Bemidji, Minnesota]]
[[Category:People from Chilton, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Elgin, Illinois]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Kane County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Wisconsin]]