Gino Cappelletti, who moved into the Patriots' radio broadcast booth after a New England career as a player and assistant coach that landed him in the team's Hall of Fame -- and many say should have landed him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- has decided to retire.
The news was reported by the Boston Globe's Chad Finn.
The gentlemanly and much beloved Cappelletti, 78, has spent 32 years as the analyst on the team's radio broadcasts, 28 of them with play-by-play partner Gil Santos. A wide receiverkicker during his playing time, he was the leading scorer in American Football League history in a career that spanned from 1960-70. He was a five-time All-Star and was elected a member of the all-time All-AFL team.
"Through five decades, my romance with football and my relationship with the Patriots organization have provided me with a lifetime of wonderful memories, said Cappelletti in a statement released by CBS Boston, whose station (98.5 The Sports Hub) broadcasts the Patriots' games on radio. "I have had the privilege of sharing the broadcast of six Super Bowls, and amazingly, five in the past decade. The memory of the first Super Bowl victory will always be fresh in my mind. For me, it serves as a special reminder of how far this franchise has come, the challenges that were met, and the adversity we faced in those early years. But as they say in the huddle after a long, successful days work, its time to take a knee and celebrate the win."
There is no immediate word on his replacement, though its widely expected that Scott Zolak -- the former Patriot quarterback who co-hosts a talk show on 98.5 The Sports Hub and served as the third analyst on the radio broadcasts last year after a long stint on the Pats' pre- and postgame shows -- will take over Cappelletti's spot.