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. He was born in Harvard, Illinois. He attended Campion Preparatory School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Powers attended the University of Notre Dame, where he played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. He graduated from Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree, and later earned a master's degree in rehabilitation administration from DePaul University.