jeff rutledge wife
caesars 5x tier credits 2021So by the time he arrived at Woodlawn High School to start the ninth grade, his reputation as a wizard of the basketball court preceded him. If Roberts misses Saturday night's game, as seems likely, Damian Johnson will move to left guard and Brian Williams will replace Johnson at right guard. By his senior season in 1974, Woodlawn running back Tony Nathan was one of the most sought-after high school football players in America. Efforts to reach him for this story were unsuccessful. "I've never known a Nathan to quit anything," she said. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the Giants. Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. Former Realtor at ReallivingAdavanceRealty. ''You gear up for a time when you're going to get together as a family. Tony is a very revered guy here in our community, here in our church community.". Perhaps that epic 1974 showdown at Legion Field between Birmingham high-school heavyweights Woodlawn and Banks would have been just another Friday night football game. And I don't know when that will be.'' . Nov 09, 1990 at 12:00 am. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. "They do a great job of keeping us involved in what's going on and keeping us involved with the fans. After Nathan got out of coaching, another one of his former Dolphins teammates, guard Ed Newman, told him he had the perfect job for him. When the other team did not pick up on Rutledge, he took the snap and did a sneak up the middle for yardage that gave the Giants a first down that would eventually lead to a go-ahead score. The next year, Nathan and Rutledge became teammates at the University of Alabama. "We had a ball. His wife, Laura, a former Miss . "He ate a few pieces of it, but he didn't eat much.". After the season ended, he accepted an assistant coaching position on Paul "Bear" Bryant's staff at Alabama, where he was part of back-to-back national championships in 1978 and 1979 -- the first of which featured Rutledge and Nathan in the starting backfield. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. "It touched me," he says. "It was one heck of a game. (Linebacker) Barry Krauss could play today. 1972 His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. All rights reserved (About Us). "It really did.". He was a backup in Super Bowl XIV as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, he was a backup to Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms in Super Bowl XXI as a member of the New York Giants, and was a backup in Super Bowl XXVI as a member of the Washington Redskins. . ''But this is tough on the family. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. William Nathan was sold, though, and eventually, so was his son Tony. Along the sidelines, one of the best coaches in Alabama high school football history would notch his 100th victory, but he would never win another. No one could be prouder, though, than the mother who wouldn't let him quit the football team back in the 10th grade, who taught him to always finish what he started. This Korean War-era Sabre jet, which was loaned to Banks High School in 1961, was repainted in school colors and prominently displayed on campus. After the Tide slipped to an uncharacteristic 9-3 in Nathan's sophomore season -- Alabama's worst record in his four years there -- the team bounced back to go 11-1 and finish runner-up to national champs Notre Dame in 1977 and to go 11-1 again and win it all in 1978. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. Drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft (246th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Rams, Rutledge played in 14 NFL seasons from 1979 to 1992 for three different teams. DeOssie, who has been starting at inside linebacker, strained his back lifting weights. Soon enough, though, Tony would be all around the ball. Jeff Rutledge Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge Position: QB Throws: Right 6-1 , 195lb (185cm, 88kg) Born: January 22 in Birmingham, AL (Age: 66-029d) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info 2x SB Champ 8 17 10 SUMMARY Career G 117 AV 8 QBrec 2-7-1 Cmp% 52.1 Yds 3628 Y/A 6.9 TD 16 Int 29 FantPt 151.0 Jeff Rutledge Overview Game Logs Career Postseason 1979 1980 As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Sports Illustrated featured him in its "Faces in the Crowd" section after he ran for 228 yards and scored seven touchdowns against Ramsay, and late in the season, along with Banks quarterback Jeff Rutledge, he was named a Parade All-American. "You wouldn't have known him to be any different from any of the other players on the team," Hendrix, who went on to play briefly with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, says. of development through completion. His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. Jeff Rutledge takes a breather during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. ''I talked to Bill after practice Saturday,'' said Rutledge. He played college football at Alabama, where he was the team's starting quarterback for their 1978 National . He completed 30 of 42 p*es for 363 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 12 yards for the game-tying touchdown with only 24 seconds remaining. The regular season game was played in . Meanwhile, the recruiting letters continued to pour in from schools such as USC, Notre Dame, Texas and Oklahoma, as well as SEC schools Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee. He was just a humble high school athlete. Drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft (246th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Rams,[2] Rutledge played in 14 NFL seasons[3][5] from 1979 to 1992 for three different teams. BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Forty years later, the details have gotten fuzzier and the legends have grown larger. He had left the University of Alabama in the spring of 1979 without a diploma. Jeff Rutledge. Out on the field, one of the players, a linebacker who also filled in as back-up tight end, caught the only touchdown pass of his high-school career, in what was by far the biggest game of his career. Although it was just one moment in time, all of their names -- as well as those of Greg Muse, Jerry Murphree, Bob Grefseng, Denny Ragland, Brad Hendrix, Jerry Stearns and many others -- will always be linked to that November night in Legion Field 40 years ago. About Jeff Rutledge is a 66 year old American Football (American) Player born on 22nd January, 1957 in Birmingham, AL. He was a basketball guy.". In April 2010, Rutledge agreed to become the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee; where he coached for two seasons, leading the Knights to a 4-18 record. Rutledge would never start an NFL game again but he did see spot duty in relief of returning starter Mark Rypien in the Redskins' 1991 Super Bowl Championship season, including some playing time in the last game of the regular season, again against the Philadelphia Eagles. After completing the eighth grade, those students who would have gone to Banks instead went to Woodlawn High School, Banks' old rival. Tandy Gerelds left Woodlawn after the 1975 season to join his father in the family insurance business, but in 1984, he returned to coaching at Deshler High School in Tuscumbia. "I wanted to go home. He was worn out, and he was just tearing the rest of his jersey off.". That spiritual awakening not only inspired the team, but it reverberated throughout the entire school, defusing some racial tension that Nathan says he felt his first couple of years at Woodlawn. Woodlawn High School had a much longer history that went back to 1916, when the community of Woodlawn was annexed into Birmingham. "If we needed him to throw the football, I knew he could definitely do that. Louise Nathan, though, never was wild about her seeing her son get hit. A three-year starter, he also led Alabama to the #2 National ranking in 1977. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. I did believe. Place kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh of the New York Giants kicks a field goal during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Giants Stadium on December 15,. He said, 'Well, make sure you promise me you're going to finish what you started. "I told him, me being so far behind, I didn't want to flunk out. "Including his wife. Commissioner Rutledge, a native of Newport, graduated from Newport High School and earned a B.S. After Thursday morning's practice, the Giants will leave for their annual welcome-home lunch at the Sheraton Centre. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 66. So you go all out and do what you can do just to fit in.". Jerry McDonald, a split end and defensive back, turned down college football offers and decided to play baseball instead after he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. The easygoing Nathan had the ideal temperament for the job, Newman told him. "They all looked at me like, 'OK, don't you think it's your time?'" ''It's an odd world, isn't it?'' He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. (Birmingham News file/Robert Adams). As depicted in the upcoming "Woodlawn" movie, droves of players, Nathan included, stepped forward to commit their lives to Christ that night. Senior Consultant. "I think I had lost to Banks four times in three years because my freshman year, I played them as a freshman and on the B-team. "And then they told me that that guy (Nathan) was an All-American basketball player, and he wasn't going to be playing football. "It was time for people to actually get along -- no matter what race or color you were," he says. In overtime, he hit Art Monk with a vital 40-yard pass on third and 15 to help set up Chip Lohmiller's game-winning field goal. View the profiles of professionals named "Jeff Rutledge" on LinkedIn. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. Nathan is flanked by his parents William and Louise Nathan. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Tony Nathan, left, talks with Jeff Rutledge, right, after the famous Woodlawn-Banks high school football game at Legion Field in 1974. He finished his college career with a 33-5 record as a starter, which currently ranks him as the University of Alabama's seventh all-time winningest quarterback. Continue with Recommended Cookies. "What are you doing with that grip?'" If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Coach Bill Parcells will probably keep three this year, but there is no guarantee. "I get to meet a ton of people -- lawyers, defendants, victims -- and they all are different," Nathan says. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. "Everywhere Tony lined up, there was Greg," Rutledge remembers. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 63 years old? Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is a former American football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember anything about it. Playing in the wishbone -- a four-pronged attack with two tailbacks, a fullback and the quarterback all sharing carries -- Nathan never amassed huge numbers like Crimson Tide workhorses Bobby Humphrey or Shaun Alexander or Trent Richardson, but for his career, he averaged an eye-popping 6.4 yards every time he carried the ball at Alabama. "I remember going back and forth to get more tickets to sell. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). A title search shows that Mr. Rutledge and his wife bought a property in Naramata for $1.15-million on Oct. 31, 2016. "We both started to laugh.". In May 2013, Rutledge was hired by Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Arizona as a full-time staff member and also to lead the football program. The four of them -- Baumhower, Nathan, Stephenson and McNeal -- played in two Super Bowls together, but the Dolphins lost both games, to the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII and the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. Meanwhile, Woodlawn High School stands majestically in the same location on First Avenue North, just like it has since 1922, and the football team is still sending players to the NFL, including Chris Davis, the Auburn cornerback who was the last-second hero of the 2013 Iron Bowl. Nathan says. I don't know exactly when, but I'll do it.'". "Well, Shula knew what talent was," Nathan says. "That's a scary thought now," the 58-year-old Nathan says of what might have been. On Nov. 8, 1974 -- 40 years ago this Saturday - the two-time defending state champion Banks Jets met their eastern Birmingham rivals the Woodlawn Colonels in front of what was then and remains today the biggest crowd to ever watch a high school football game in Alabama. Not once, but twice, both teams were sent back to their respective locker rooms to allow the crowd to file into the stadium. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. The Nathans go to the same church, New Testament Baptist Church, with his former Alabama and Miami teammate McNeal and his wife, Rhonda. Another, a little fireplug of a linebacker who had moved to Birmingham from Texas the year before, became the surprise defensive star of the game. Rutledge, 58, who was the quarterbacks coach of the Cardinals in their only Super Bowl season, said Alabama never stopped aspiring to the biggest heights in college football since he left. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. [4], Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler. ''My wife is frustrated,'' said Rutledge. He had to meet with Coach Bryant to get him to sign off on it, too. Drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft (246th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Rams, Rutledge played in 14 NFL seasons from 1979 to 1992 for three different teams. "That Banks-Woodlawn game our senior year, that was all about Tony and Jeff Rutledge," Hendrix says. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). "We would go to the board of education and get tickets and we would be sold out in 30 minutes to an hour," Stearns says. He was a two-time all-state guard on the Woodlawn basketball team, and as a centerfielder and first baseman on the baseball team, he got drafted by the Montreal Expos. They made great souvenirs, too, and fans mobbed him after the games to get a piece of Nathan's jersey. I bought them last week. Bryant sealed the deal by promising Tony he would get a shot at playing basketball at Alabama, too. UNEASY LIES THE HEAD OF NO. "The other thing about the wishbone, if you were a truly good back in the wishbone, you had to block, too,'' says Murray Legg, who, as a defensive back on those Alabama teams, often went up against Nathan in practice. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. "And you're not going to be the first.". So after his freshman football season -- while his football teammates were enjoying their break -- Nathan was on the basketball court the next day, trying to break into an Alabama lineup that featured Leon Douglas, Reggie King, T.R. Charles Tillman Rutledge, Jr. Boiling Springs, SC Charles Tillman Rutledge, Jr., 80, of 2558 Old Furnace Road, passed away Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Spartanburg Hospital For Restorative Care . Like Jackson, Nathan excelled at just about any sport he played. "I was running down the baseline trying to follow my guy around, and, all of a sudden, they set a pick and this guy's elbow hit me in the eye and that cured my basketball desire," Nathan says. As the teams went through their pre-game drills, Woodlawn's Stearns noticed another assistant, Mike Logan, staring up into the stands with his mouth agape. He was a devoted husband and father and his favorite hobby was fishing. "It's been home a long time," Nathan says. After seven seasons at Vanderbilt, Rutledge became the head coach at Montgomery Bell Academy, a school for seventh to 12th grade boys in Nashville. "I didn't have to worry about cutting grass because they played all the time.". "Before I signed to go to Alabama, Coach Bryant told me, 'Well, look, you can try out (for basketball), but if you're not within the top six, you've got to come back out for spring ball.'''. He completed 30 of 42 passes for 363 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 12 yards for the game-tying touchdown with only 24 seconds remaining. That game meant that Rutledge got the nod to start the following week on Monday Night against the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that was to become infamously known as the "Body Bag Game". Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. "I played with older guys, and I wanted to be able to play on their level," Nathan says. A creative problem solver with refined approach to crisis communications and media management. "This was before Bo Jackson," Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, says. Tony Nathan, left, goes to midfield for the pre-game coin toss with his Woodlawn High School teammates Mike Allison, center, and Peyton Zarzour, right. As big as it was, though, even in these days where everything is just a Google or YouTube search away, only a few accounts and descriptions from that night are available, mainly in school yearbooks and newspaper archives. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. "We knew each other from grammar school.". Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. '", So just think, if Louise Nathan hadn't put her foot down, maybe no one would have ever heard of "Touchdown Tony.". To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Simms is the Giants' starter and Jeff Hostetler is No. My parents raised me that way. ''I wanted to know what he was thinking. "In high school, he was the best quarterback in the state of Alabama, and Coach Bryant did his job. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, grew up in a house divided. ", During his senior season at at Woodlawn High School in 1974, Tony Nathan was a Parade All-American and featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd." He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. Horgan III, Jeff Hart, Jim Rutledge of Canada, Gary Hallberg and Jeff Freeman pose together with their Qualifying cards during the Champions Tour. The main building, built in 1922, was a grand, three-story structure that always looked more like a palace than a schoolhouse. Something like that. Jeff Rutledge Biography. Newton and football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant stand behind Tony Nathan as he signs his scholarship to attend the University of Alabama. Tony Nathan will sign copies of his new book, "Touchdown Tony: Running With a Purpose," at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at the Alabama Booksmith, 2626 19th Place South, Homewood. When he retired from football, Nathan also got into coaching - first with the Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then at Florida International University. Center Dwight Stephenson and defensive back Don McNeal, who were a year behind him, would join the Dolphins the next year. ", Tony Nathan runs behind his Miami Dolphins teammate Jeff Toews in a game against the New York Jets. They got at least part of that right. A Valuable Commodity. Today, Ken O'Brien, the Jets' starter, broke a toe. Tony Nathan, left, and Jeff Rutledge talk following the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. By Friday, the excitement was at full-tilt boogie. An estimated 42,000 fans filled the lower bowl of Legion Field for the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. His parents met at the University of Arkansas, and when he was almost four his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bryant paid several visits to the Nathan home, and he often brought with him an entourage of assistants and past and current Tide players, including Joe Namath, Johnny Musso and Ozzie Newsome. Newton stood behind Nathan as he sat next to his parents and got his picture taken signing his letter of intent. In May 2013, Rutledge was hired by Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Arizona as a full-time staff member and also to lead the football program. ', "She said, 'No, but even more so, you're not going to be a quitter. Unbeknownst to either one of them at the time, she would later marry one of the game's biggest heroes. Rivals in high school, Nathan and Rutledge were teammates for four years at Alabama. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 22 January. The year before, Logan had coached at rural Locust Fork High School in Blount County. Rutledge and his wife had just moved into their dream house in Atlanta, but felt it was the best job available. "It was Banks-Woodlawn. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. "The trouble is, it's on VHS cassette, and my VHS player died years ago.". "I did accept Christ in my life at that time, they say," Nathan says. That same night, Banks' 35-game unbeaten streak came to an abrupt end when Rutledge blew out an ankle and the banged-up Jets lost 34-27 to West End. Jeff was in the flooring business and owned Vintage Wood Floors, Inc. Jeffrey Hunter was born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr. on November 25, 1926 in New Orleans, Louisiana, an only child. He started taking online courses through the University of Alabama's Bama by Distance degree program, and this past May, at 58, he graduated. ", The Banks players huddle around head coach Shorty White during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. Our defensive game plan was awesome.". The family will receive friends from 12:00-1:30 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at . He was a backup in Super Bowl XIV as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, he was a backup to Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms in Super Bowl XXI as a member of the New York Giants, and was a backup in Super Bowl XXVI as a member of the Washington Redskins. So, when Tony was in the 10th grade, and he came home one day and told his mother he had left the Woodlawn High School football team, she replied, in no uncertain terms, no, he had not. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. Woodlawn never beat Banks during Nathan's three years on the varsity. Jeff is survived by his wife, Dana; daughter, Payton Rutledge; son, Parker Rutledge; and several nieces and nephews. See the article in its original context from. Gosh, that game was 40 years ago, which is unbelievable.". That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. RELATED:See who plays Tony Nathan in 'Woodlawn'. Wasn't it 14-0? "That's why, for two years, we had a lot of focus and attention on Woodlawn. "And I didn't like that. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. After playing in three college all-star games following his senior season, Nathan fell behind in his classes, and he was worried he might flunk out his spring semester. [2] Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. Gerelds, recognizing Nathan's underutilized potential, thought he needed to have the ball in his hands more often and moved him to offense his junior year.Before the start of that 1973 season, something else happened that changed the Woodlawn football team's fortunes. His most notable play with the Giants came in Super Bowl XXI in the third quarter. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. A backup for most of his career, he was a member of the New York Giants team that won a Super Bowl in Super Bowl XXI and the Washington Redskins team that won Super Bowl XXVI. Jeff Rutledge, Nathan's old rival from Banks, was now his teammate, quarterbacking the Tide. "But this particular year, we were both undefeated going in. How tall is Jeff Rutledge? Almost assuredly, Nathan would not be the featured character in the upcoming movie "Woodlawn," which opens nationwide on Oct. 16, and most definitely, he would not have written a book, "Touchdown Tony: Running With a Purpose," which comes out Tuesday. . What is Jeff Rutledge's full name? . It's been very interesting. Or was it 17-7? ", Tony Nathan breaks free with his tear-away jersey flying in the breeze. He got permission from his academic advisers to drop his courses with a withdraw-passing grade and come back to finish his degree later. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the. From Banks, defensive lineman Freddie Knighton signed with Alabama, running back Jerry Murphree went to LSU, and linebacker Bob Grefseng played at Ole Miss. I wanted him to have his degree. jeff.rutledge@mcmillanvantage.com. He finished his college career with a 33-5 record as a starter, which currently ranks him as the University of Alabama's seventh all-time winningest quarterback. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). I don't remember that whole week. Tony Nathan holds his youngest brother, Cedric, after he announces in December 1974 that he will attend the University of Alabama. "I knew some of those guys, and I'm like, 'Why would y'all be out here in the hot sun watching freshman football?'" "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. "Coach Tandy Gerelds was a fine man and a fine coach, and he had a lot to do with a lot of players on that team coming to know the Lord," Brad Hendrix, a senior defensive end on the '74 team, says. Something else special happened that week, too. In May 2013, Rutledge was hired by Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Arizona as a full-time staff member and also to lead the football program. ', "I said, 'I will do that. The game, though, was way bigger than its two stars, a pair of Parade All-Americans who were among the most sought-after high school recruits in the country. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money?