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. Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. "Greg was not very big but he had a huge heart and he gave Tony fits that night. On October 2, 2019, his wife gave birth to a daughter. (Birmingham News file) In the 1980s,. One of them said on the phone, 'What did you get me?' Something else special happened that week, too. Denny Ragland, who would become the Woodlawn starting quarterback during Nathan's senior season in 1974, knew something was up during freshman football practice, when most of the basketball team came out just to see what the 14-year-old Nathan could do on the football field. How tall is Jeff Rutledge? "And then they told me that that guy (Nathan) was an All-American basketball player, and he wasn't going to be playing football. ''The first game Phil Simms goes down, they've got to get a quarterback. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state titles at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Forty years later, the details have gotten fuzzier and the legends have grown larger. In those days, the Banks-Woodlawn rivalry was like the Alabama-Auburn of Birmingham high school football, but maybe just a little friendlier. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. Roberts, the starting left guard, has a slightly sprained left knee, which was reported improved. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. Fully committed to football now, Nathan became one of the key cogs in a wishbone offense that was clicking on all cylinders. Relationships We have no records of past relationships for Jeff Rutledge. By Frank Litsky, Special To the New York Times. 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 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. The film builds to a finale where Woodlawn meets crosstown rival Banks, quarterbacked by Jeff Rutledge, who would eventually play at Alabama with Nathan. , money, salary, income, and assets. William Nathan was sold, though, and eventually, so was his son Tony. I still get chills thinking about it.". He is currently the head football coach at Valley Christian High School (Chandler, Arizona) in Chandler, Arizona. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 2. ''My wife is frustrated,'' said Rutledge. "I get to meet a ton of people -- lawyers, defendants, victims -- and they all are different," Nathan says. I will make you that promise. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. ", 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." ", Tony Nathan runs behind his Miami Dolphins teammate Jeff Toews in a game against the New York Jets. He said, 'Well, make sure you promise me you're going to finish what you started. 66. A three-year starter, he also led Alabama to the #2 National ranking in 1977. "That was neat, that she had just come up (for the game), not knowing anything that was going to happen years later," Rutledge says. (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). Tony could have gone anywhere. You could call it inspiration, you could call it whatever you like. ", 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." "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. 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". View the profiles of professionals named "Jeff Rutledge" on LinkedIn. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). It helped, too, that both Banks and Woodlawn were also blessed with some enormously talented athletes who weren't named Rutledge or Nathan and who also went on to play in the SEC and the NFL. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). The final count was an estimated 42,000 people -- roughly 10,000 more than the previous record crowd at the Crippled Children's Classic between Phillips and Woodlawn, also at Legion Field, in 1950. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. "It's been home a long time," Nathan says. Stearns recalls. "I had some professors walk up to me and say, 'Hey, we were around when you were playing.'. Menu Log In Sign Up Everybody else was gone home for Christmas vacation, and I was like, 'What am I doing here?' "And when they were picking teams, I wanted to get picked. White says he was assured by the Legion Field crew that it would be able to handle the crowd. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Jeff Rutledge. He has established himself as a trusted advisor providing advice and direction to organizations in some of the most heavily regulated . "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. His parents met at the University of Arkansas, and when he was almost four his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. Although Woodlawn had history on its side, Banks, by 1974, had the upper hand on the football field, winning state titles in 1965, 1972 and 1973 - all under Shorty White's leadership. So they put the pressure on him, too. Woodlawn students used to yell, ''Rip those Sugar Jets," which was a reference to this brand of cereal. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. ''But this is tough on the family. "I played with older guys, and I wanted to be able to play on their level," Nathan says. printers and related vendors. At 65 years old, Jeff Rutledge height not available right now. "I was like, 'All right, it's that time.'". Jeff Rutledge, Nathan's old rival from Banks, was now his teammate, quarterbacking the Tide. 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. "We just sat up there and watched," Martin, now retired, recalls. All three of Nathan's daughters have their college degrees - Nichole from South Florida and Natalie and Nadia from Alabama - as does his wife. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. Following his senior season at Alabama in 1978, Banks' Jeff Rutledge went on to play 13 years in the National Football League. Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. They got at least part of that right. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. Nathan played on the B-team his freshman year, and by his sophomore season, he earned a spot on the Woodlawn varsity as the starting free safety on defense. So it's tough for her to hear that she should wait. "I did accept Christ in my life at that time, they say," Nathan says. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. "It was always the biggest game of the year, for both sides," Rutledge says. 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. With the arrival of head coach Tandy Gerelds in 1971, though, and the emergence of Nathan, who had a breakout junior season in 1973, Woodlawn started to level the playing field. People around the country were starting to notice him, too. And in the memories of those who were there. On Sunday, the Jets lost their backup, Pat Ryan, for at least six to eight weeks with a sprained knee. ''Maybe it will make them think a bit or at least make their decision tough. "Some of the other running backs didn't want to be that lead blocker. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). "It was a culmination of really four years of building up to that point," Woodlawn quarterback Denny Ragland remembers. In the spring of 2007 Rutledge got his first NFL coaching job when he was hired as quarterbacks coach with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals,[5] with direct charge over Kurt Warner. 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 next year, Nathan and Rutledge became teammates at the University of Alabama. Wasn't it 14-0? Jeff is survived by his wife, Dana; daughter, Payton Rutledge; son, Parker Rutledge; and several nieces and nephews. Horgan III, Jeff Hart, Jim Rutledge of Canada, Gary Hallberg and Jeff Freeman pose together with their Qualifying cards during the Champions Tour. Some of the choices Jeff Rutledge made during his journey to become an NFL assistant coach were difficult. I remember it was good we didn't start when we were supposed to because they were at their peak. Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, grew up in a house divided. "They do a great job of keeping us involved in what's going on and keeping us involved with the fans. Or was it 17-7? "There wasn't anybody that came to see me play or any of the other guys. They got in the car, and she drove him back to the football field, where she told Woodlawn coach Tandy Gerelds to do whatever he needed to discipline her boy for skipping practice, just as long as he was allowed back on the team. He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. Hoover, Alabama. "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. Gerelds' plan to move Nathan to running back was paying off handsomely, too.Sometime during that junior season -- maybe it was after he ran for 231 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-12 upset of the No. William Nathan asked, referring to Bryant's bag. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. ", Tony Nathan prepares to take a hand-off from quarterback Jeff Rutledge at the University of Alabama. "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. 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. And to himself. Rutledge served as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League in 2009. From Woodlawn, linebacker Rocha McKinstry signed with Auburn, and Hendrix, the defensive end, played with the University of North Alabama and later, the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. 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. he recalls. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Another one of football's coaching greats, Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins, drafted Nathan in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft, and even though it was a long way from Birmingham or Tuscaloosa, Miami was like a home away from home for Nathan. See also [ edit] Rule 5 draft results References [ edit] "If we needed him to throw the football, I knew he could definitely do that. 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. "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. . During preseason camp, evangelist Wales Goebel, who became a born-again Christian after alcohol destroyed his small-college basketball career and nearly cost him his life, came to share his story with the Woodlawn players. There was no mortgage. His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. Once he started playing, though, she never let him quit. He was a basketball guy.". All rights reserved (About Us). We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. The week of the game, Jerry Stearns, who was an assistant coach at Woodlawn that year and later became the head coach there, recalls selling advance tickets at the school, something he says never happened before. 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. Ragland recalls. American football player and coach (born 1957), Alabama Crimson Tide starting quarterbacks, Washington Commanders starting quarterbacks, 1978 Alabama Crimson Tide footballAP national champions, Alabama Crimson Tide football yearly statistical leaders, History of the New York Giants (19791993), "High School Football Database - All-American (Parade 1974)", "Jeff Rutledge Named as Football Head Coach - Valley Christian High School", "NFL vet Rutledge returning as high school coach", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jeff_Rutledge&oldid=1134094507, High school football coaches in Tennessee, Coaches of American football from Alabama, Players of American football from Birmingham, Alabama, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 00:15. He is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children. "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. 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.". "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. "Everywhere Tony lined up, there was Greg," Rutledge remembers. Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler. [3][5][6] Rutledge led Montgomery Bell Academy to a 41-17 record from 20022006, with two state titles in 2002 and 2003 and a #15 ranking in the final USA Today Super 25 poll in 2003. Contents 1 Early years 2 College career 3 Playing career 4 Coaching career 5 Personal life 6 See also 7 References Early years Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. ', "I said, 'I will do that. It wasn't so much the football I wanted. "That's what I always wanted. 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. Anyone can read what you share. He had 274 completions in 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. It took him 36 years, but Nathan kept that promise to his coach. A title search shows that Mr. Rutledge and his wife bought a property in Naramata for $1.15-million on Oct. 31, 2016. 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. He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 38 years, Traci (Ellis) Rutledge and their four children, Hannah, Jacob, Marilynn, and Haylee Rutledge; his two granddaughters, Amelia and Ramona Banerjee as well as his many nieces, nephews, and their families-all of whom he cherished greatly. "The trouble is, it's on VHS cassette, and my VHS player died years ago.". Coach Bill Parcells will probably keep three this year, but there is no guarantee. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. [1], Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama,[2][3] where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Jeffrey Brooks Rutledge, Meg Rutledge, Christen Rutledge. 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. The next Christmas, Santa Claus brought Tony his first official football. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. "His jersey would just be hanging on him," Woodlawn teammate Brad Hendrix says. ''I wanted to know what he was thinking. Birmingham police guessed another 20,000 gave up and went back home when they saw the long lines. "They all looked at me like, 'OK, don't you think it's your time?'" . WIFE'S SUGGESTION OF RETIREMENT LOST ON RUTLEDGE. 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. Newton and football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant stand behind Tony Nathan as he signs his scholarship to attend the University of Alabama. 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. in Plant Science from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a Masters in Agronomy (Weed Science) from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. 6'1", 195 lbs. It wasn't anything boastful for him. I can tell you, Tony had no trouble with his blocking.". 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. 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. We prayed together, and from then on, I respected them and they respected me. Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 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. I told Coach Gerelds that I didn't want him to be anywhere near the ball.". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. I think Tony could definitely play today. Tony Nathan, left, and Jeff Rutledge talk following the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. "It was a miserable way to end your season.". "The Woodlawn guys were like maniacs, and they were roaring all through their pre-game warm-ups. All rights reserved (About Us). He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. (Birmingham News file/Robert Adams). We will update Jeff Rutledge's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. ''You gear up for a time when you're going to get together as a family. The night after that chat, in an exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rutledge completed all 8 of his passes for 156 yards. team protected 37 players during the off season and made the unprotected players available to other teams. "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. New York Giants. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. fatal car accident in tulare county / how to endorse a check for mobile deposit wells fargo / jeff rutledge wife. Though Rutledge was available, no other team signed him. Only two practice sessions remain at the Fairleigh Dickinson campus here. Center Dwight Stephenson and defensive back Don McNeal, who were a year behind him, would join the Dolphins the next year. 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. Commissioner Rutledge, a native of Newport, graduated from Newport High School and earned a B.S. So it was almost like it was the state championship game that night.". "Well, Shula knew what talent was," Nathan says. On Monday night, the Los Angeles Rams lost their backup, Mark Herrmann, for six to eight weeks with broken ribs. We definitely love Miami. An estimated 42,000 fans filled the lower bowl of Legion Field for the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. Now he is not sure what he is. The sports teams at Woodlawn became known as the Colonels and the school colors were green and gold, the same colors that student pranksters sometimes painted that Sabre jet at nearby Banks. Louise Nathan, though, never was wild about her seeing her son get hit. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember anything about it. 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. 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. I knew it even before that, when Plan B came along.'' ''It's an odd world, isn't it?'' "It was Banks-Woodlawn. "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team.
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