"We knew each other from grammar school.". He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. It was Geralds, Nathan would say later, who talked him out of quitting football, and for that, Nathan remained forever grateful. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the. "Before Bo, there was Tony," Ragland says. "I'm 57 years old, and I'll run into people that I haven't seen in years and years and years and they talk about that game, that they were there. Bryant sealed the deal by promising Tony he would get a shot at playing basketball at Alabama, too. 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. Jeff Rutledge, who played at Alabama after he graduated from Bank High School, is pictured here during the 1976 Alabama-Notre Dame game in South Bend, Ind. 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. WE BUY HOUSES ANY PRICE ANY CONDITION CALL 205 966 4880 NOW. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. 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). Today, Ken O'Brien, the Jets' starter, broke a toe. . "But this particular year, we were both undefeated going in. He said, 'Well, make sure you promise me you're going to finish what you started. They got at least part of that right. As that 1974 season progressed and both teams kept winning week after week, that friendly rivalry between Banks and Woodlawn reached a new level, though. Commissioner Rutledge, a native of Newport, graduated from Newport High School and earned a B.S. They came out in such numbers that the start of the game had to be delayed twice so folks could work their way through the jammed Legion Field turnstiles. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Rutledge served as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League in 2009. In 2013, he married Laura McKeeman (who took Rutledge's name upon marriage), a reporter and host for ESPN and the SEC Network. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. (Photo courtesy of Banks High School Facebook page). 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". He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. According to our records, Jeff Rutledge is possibly single. "It was odd to see people react and want a piece of cloth off of somebody else who was wearing it. 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. Birmingham, Alabama. His most notable play with the Giants came in Super Bowl XXI in the third quarter. He was just a humble high school athlete. "I said, 'If we win (the next game) and they win, we are both going to be undefeated when we play each other, and it's going to be the biggest high school crowd there ever will be,'" White recalls. "It was time for people to actually get along -- no matter what race or color you were," he says. Manage Settings It was Grefseng's only touchdown catch of his Banks career. "His jersey would just be hanging on him," Woodlawn teammate Brad Hendrix says. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. 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 do believe. 1-ranked Huffman Vikings -- Woodlawn fans started calling Nathan "Touchdown Tony" and began clamoring for pictures and autographs. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Jeff Rutledge. One of them said on the phone, 'What did you get me?' By his senior season in 1974, Woodlawn running back Tony Nathan was one of the most sought-after high school football players in America. All rights reserved (About Us). And when that happened, that movement, I was touched in my heart to do so again.". ", Alabama basketball coach C.M. Tony Nathan holds his youngest brother, Cedric, after he announces in December 1974 that he will attend the University of Alabama. 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. (Linebacker) Barry Krauss could play today. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. . "He wasn't too pleased," Nathan recalls. "I told him, me being so far behind, I didn't want to flunk out. ", 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." And while most college players today are bigger, faster and stronger now than they were during Nathan's college days, Legg has no doubt that, had Nathan come along four decades later, Nick Saban would find a place for him with Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake in the Crimson Tide's current running back rotation. Internal communications and employee engagement pro with a tech focus and multi-disciplinary background. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 22 January. Now he is here and his family is there, and no one is happy. 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. ", Tony Nathan breaks free with his tear-away jersey flying in the breeze. 6' 1" (185 cm) How much does Jeff Rutledge weigh? "That's what I always wanted. Rutledge, first, and then Stan Humphries were knocked out of the game, leaving emergency quarterback Brian Mitchell (a kick returner and former college quarterback) to finish the game. By his senior year, it wasn't just folks in Birmingham talking about "Touchdown Tony." Football was going to be it. His breakout moment came against Montgomery's Robert E. Lee Generals, when, late in the game, he scooped up a fumble and ran 38 yards for the winning touchdown. People around the country were starting to notice him, too. printers and related vendors. 1972 His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. About Jeff Rutledge is a 66 year old American Football (American) Player born on 22nd January, 1957 in Birmingham, AL. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Anyone can read what you share. "I've never known a Nathan to quit anything," she said. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. After completing the eighth grade, those students who would have gone to Banks instead went to Woodlawn High School, Banks' old rival. ''You gear up for a time when you're going to get together as a family. Now he is not sure what he is. A three-year starter, he also led Alabama to the #2 National ranking in 1977. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The next year, Nathan and Rutledge became teammates at the University of Alabama. Rutledge served as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League in 2009. He had 274 completions in 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. Jeff Rutledge. "In high school, he was the best quarterback in the state of Alabama, and Coach Bryant did his job and the recruiters did their jobs to get him to go to Alabama," Nathan says. "So it was a great lesson for me. 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. Though Rutledge was available, no other team signed him. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). | Learn more about Jeff . "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. The night before the game, Stearns says, members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapters from both teams gathered for a joint meeting at Woodlawn. are hard-pressed to remember the final score. Rutledge led Montgomery Bell Academy to a 41-17 record from 20022006, with two state *les in 2002 and 2003 and a #15 ranking in the final USA Today Super 25 poll in 2003. Jeff Rutledges income source is mostly from being a successful Player. The two schools were just 10 minutes and less than four miles apart. That iconic Banks jet was turned over to the Southern Museum of Flight, where it has been restored to its Korean War glory days. They all came to see Tony.". "There are people who went to that game that I've heard from all my life," Rutledge says. He is a member of famous Player with the age 65 years old group. Woodlawn, meanwhile, had a nice streak going, too, winning 11 in a row since it fell to Banks 17-7 in 1973. Jeff Rutledge, Nathan's old rival from Banks, was now his teammate, quarterbacking the Tide. Probably, Tony Nathan never would have gone on to play for Paul "Bear" Bryant at the University of Alabama, and without him, it's possible the Crimson Tide might not have won that 1978 AP national championship. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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 is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children.[7]. He was a devoted husband and father and his favorite hobby was fishing. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember anything about it. View the profiles of professionals named "Jeff Rutledge" on LinkedIn. Jeff Rutledge, Nathan's old rival from Banks, was now his teammate, quarterbacking the Tide. "The trouble is, it's on VHS cassette, and my VHS player died years ago.". Tony could have gone anywhere. We just couldn't put the icing on the cake.". Horgan III, Jeff Hart, Jim Rutledge of Canada, Gary Hallberg and Jeff Freeman pose together with their Qualifying cards during the Champions Tour. He said he hadn't decided whether to keep two or three quarterbacks.''. Jeffrey Brooks Rutledge, Meg Rutledge, Christen Rutledge. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. Nathan says. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state *les at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. In overtime, he hit Art Monk with a vital 40-yard p* on third and 15 to help set up Chip Lohmiller's game-winning field goal. He is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children. The regular season game was played in . Electronic version of this article was lost during the computer . On signing day, both Bryant and Alabama basketball coach C.M. We have estimated The film builds to a finale where Woodlawn meets crosstown rival Banks, quarterbacked by Jeff Rutledge, who would eventually play at Alabama with Nathan. Contact . So 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. Tony -- the second oldest of five siblings -- used to wear out the grass playing ball with their neighbors in the backyard of their house in Parker Heights, near the airport. Woodlawn grads included Harry Gilmer, who was an All-American at Alabama and the MVP of the 1946 Rose Bowl, and Bobby Bowden, who coached Florida State to two national championships on his way to becoming the winningest coach in college football history. "We had a ball. "We dedicated our season to the glory of the Lord, and we played at a much higher level those two years (1973-74) than we probably should have. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. We definitely love Miami. By Frank Litsky, Special To the New York Times. Nathan is flanked by his parents William and Louise Nathan. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 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". Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. "They all looked at me like, 'OK, don't you think it's your time?'" "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. Fast learner, critical thinker with an eye for efficiency, and generally fun guy. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. "It wasn't hard to grab a piece of it. I was so elated that he did it, and I thank the Lord that he did.". From his perch in the press box, Birmingham News sportswriter Wayne Martin could see the pedestrian bottleneck at the south entrance of Legion Field, as well as an unbroken strand of headlights from the long line of cars on Graymont Avenue, which was backed up all the way to downtown. Banks coach Shorty White had assigned Muse to shadow Woodlawn's Nathan everywhere he went, and although Nathan finished with 112 yards on 31 carries, Muse was all over him most of the night. He would just tear it off and throw it up in the crowd. Coach Bill Parcells will probably keep three this year, but there is no guarantee. His finest moment as a professional player came when as a member of the Redskins he came off the bench in a game versus the Detroit Lions in 1990. "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. 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. We were playing in front of 20,000 people regularly, so we were getting some big crowds.". "It really did.". Stearns recalls. 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. My parents raised me that way. ", In the lunchroom, the Woodlawn students would break into impromptu pep rallies, standing in their chairs and yelling, "Rip Jets, rip Jets, rip those Sugar Jets." . 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. Gosh, that game was 40 years ago, which is unbelievable.". 1957 The quiet, introverted Nathan didn't know quite what to make of all that attention. #Jeff #Rutledge #Wiki Biography #Age #Height #Wife #Net #Worth #Family Tags: Age Biography Family Height Jeff Net Rutledge Wife Wiki Worth RELATED:See who plays Tony Nathan in 'Woodlawn'. ", Woodlawn's Tony Nathan ran for 112 yards and scored a touchdown in the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game, but Banks linebacker Greg Muse was all over him all night long. Unbeknownst to either one of them at the time, she would later marry one of the game's biggest heroes. Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. If all of the gates had been open, they would have had 60,000 people.". No One Else Wanted Him. The unsung hero, though, was a little linebacker named Greg Muse, who had transferred to Banksafter living in Texas. Jeff Rutledge takes a breather during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. On Sunday, the Jets lost their backup, Pat Ryan, for at least six to eight weeks with a sprained knee. He played college football at Alabama, where he was the team's starting quarterback for their 1978 National Championship victory, and was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. ''That may make the Giants think,'' said Rutledge. Like Jackson, Nathan excelled at just about any sport he played. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. [2] Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. I wasn't too sure about him running the wishbone at that time, but he did a very good job and it was great to play with him.". A creative problem solver with refined approach to crisis communications and media management. Once the game did start, Banks built an 18-0 lead on a pair of 21- and 16-yard touchdown runs by fullback Jerry Murphree and a 32-yard TD pass from Rutledge to Grefseng, who also doubled as a back-up tight end. An estimated 42,000 people poured into Legion Field that night -- a state high-school attendance record that still stands -- but as big as the game was, just as many people were curious to see its two superstars, Woodlawn's Nathan and Banks' Rutledge. Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, grew up in a house divided. Simms is the Giants' starter and Jeff Hostetler is No. ", RELATED: Turning back the clock at Legion Field. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. "'And you told me you didn't want me to play this game. "That Banks-Woodlawn game our senior year, that was all about Tony and Jeff Rutledge," Hendrix 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. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. "Some do come in with attitudes, and you just have to diffuse them before they go in front of the judge. . I remember it was good we didn't start when we were supposed to because they were at their peak. 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. While Nathan ran for 112 yards and scored a touchdown that night, the Colonels lost to the Jets 18-7, with Rutledge completing eight of nine passing for 185 yards and a touchdown. Former Realtor at ReallivingAdavanceRealty. See the article in its original context from. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). They made great souvenirs, too, and fans mobbed him after the games to get a piece of Nathan's jersey. "We both started to laugh.". Description above from the Wikipedia article Jeff Rutledge, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia. Although he was mostly used as a back-up, he has two Super Bowl rings - one from the New York Giants and another from the Washington Redskins. Louise Nathan roasted a raccoon that her husband, an avid hunter whom friends called "Coon Man," had bagged on one of his late-night coon hunts, and they invited Bryant to have dinner with them. Some were easier. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. "People drove up, saw the lines outside and just went on by. Once he started playing, though, she never let him quit. "I was like, 'What?'" (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. Mike Perez was waived Tuesday, leaving Rutledge as the only other quarterback on the roster. The quiet Nathan, who teammates say tried to shy away from all of the attention, was one of Birmingham's first superstar black athletes in a city that was still adjusting to integration. "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.'''.
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