Paopao played 11 seasons in the CFL and was a member of the BC Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Ottawa Rough Riders.

He was traded to the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1987, and the following year to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Following his first stint as a head coach Paopao was hired by the Blue Bombers as the team's offensive coordinator, a position which he held for two seasons.

Paopao joined the University of Waterloo Warriors as the team's offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2007, a position he would hold for five years.

On February 6, 2014, the BC Lions announced Paopao would be re-joining the organization as its receivers coach.

[4] On March 27, 2015 Joe Paopao was named offensive coordinator of the Simon Fraser University Clan football team in the NCAA's Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

[9] He is the uncle of current Washington Huskies special teams coordinator and tight ends coach, Jordan Paopao.