His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. 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. Most likely, Tony would not have been drafted by the NFL's Miami Dolphins, and regrettably, he also would have missed out on starting in two Super Bowls, as well as being part of one of the most famous plays in Dolphins' history. And I don't know when that will be.'' 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. "And when they were picking teams, I wanted to get picked. Jeff Rutledge takes a breather during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. 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. [1], Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama,[2][3] where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 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,. 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. ", Tony Nathan strikes a Heisman-like pose as he tries to avoid a linebacker. On one particular visit, Bryant brought his overnight bag, Tony's father remembers. Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, grew up in a house divided. 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. Tony Nathan, left, talks with Jeff Rutledge, right, after the famous Woodlawn-Banks high school football game at Legion Field in 1974. Banks quarterback Jeff Rutledge, who would later lead Alabama to a national championship and play on two Super Bowl-winning teams, and Woodlawn running back Tony Nathan, who would become Rutledge's teammate at Alabama and go on to play in two Super Bowls of his own, were the marquee attractions. In 2006, the Birmingham Board of Education decided to close the deteriorating middle school, too, saying it was unsafe and an eyesore. Wasn't it 14-0? After working as an assistant at Vanderbilt University and with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL, Rutledge is now the head coach at Valley Christian High School in Chandler, Ariz. After four years at Alabama, Woodlawn's Tony Nathan was drafted in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, where he played for nine seasons under Don Shula, including two Super Bowls. Jeff Rutledge. The year before, Logan had coached at rural Locust Fork High School in Blount County. "We don't have any of the highlight reels from the '70s that they have from Bo Jackson's day, but Tony did some phenomenal things on the football field and on the basketball court. We prayed together, and from then on, I respected them and they respected me. Some of those who were in the stands that night can't say for sure who won, and even many of those who were on the fieldare hard-pressed to remember the final score. He has been a Giant since 1982, when he was obtained from the Los Angeles Rams after Phil Simms suffered a season-ending knee injury. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He was a devoted husband and father and his favorite hobby was fishing. Dunn and Anthony Murray and that would go on to make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, losing to eventual champion Indiana. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler.
Jeff Rutledge Stats | The Football Database As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. "It's been home a long time," Nathan says.
It hardly seemed like a swan-song performance. And in the memories of those who were there. Rutledge and his wife had just moved into their dream house in Atlanta, but felt it was the best job available. Add to that the fact that, back in those days, only one team from each region made the state playoffs. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. | Learn more about Jeff . See also [ edit] Rule 5 draft results References [ edit] Center Dwight Stephenson and defensive back Don McNeal, who were a year behind him, would join the Dolphins the next year. A three-year starter, he also led Alabama to the #2 National ranking in 1977. I don't know exactly when, but I'll do it.'". 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. And when the game finally did kick off a half-hour or so later, the crowd kept pouring in well into the second quarter. 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. "It touched me," he says.
Jeff Rutledge - Facts, Bio, Favorites, Info, Family 2021 - Sticky Facts 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. Not once, but twice, both teams were sent back to their respective locker rooms to allow the crowd to file into the stadium. "People drove up, saw the lines outside and just went on by. After completing the eighth grade, those students who would have gone to Banks instead went to Woodlawn High School, Banks' old rival. 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. 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. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan).
Commission - Waterways In his teens, he acted in productions of the North Shore Children's Theater and, from 1942 to 1944, performed in . Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. This week, Birmingham filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin began shooting a movie, "Woodlawn," which takes place during Nathan's days at Woodlawn High School and focuses in on that 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. I bought them last week. "I just felt like I was the oldest cat in the house," he says. That was Laura Holmes, whom Rutledge later met when his Fellowship of Christian Athletes adviser suggested that he ask her to go with him to the team banquet following his freshman year at Alabama. Efforts to reach him for this story were unsuccessful. An experienced communications and public affairs professional, with a record of effective strategic planning, outreach and engagement. They included touchdown passes of 29, 20 and 43 yards. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. 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). (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). About Jeff Rutledge is a 66 year old American Football (American) Player born on 22nd January, 1957 in Birmingham, AL. He is a member of famous Player with the age 65 years old group. 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. "You go through life carrying that (lesson): If you start it, you better try to be the best at it, and finish what you've got to finish," he adds. 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. "It was a miserable way to end your season.". If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. 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, with direct charge over Kurt Warner. And when that happened, that movement, I was touched in my heart to do so again.". Among those 42,000 who came to watch was a freshman sorority girl from the University of Alabama, who was there not because she had any allegiance to either team but just because she heard it was a big game and she wanted to see it and be a part of it. [4], Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler. What is Jeff Rutledge's full name? Jeff was in the flooring business and owned Vintage Wood Floors, Inc. ''You gear up for a time when you're going to get together as a family. 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. Rivals in high school, Nathan and Rutledge were teammates for four years at Alabama. One of them said on the phone, 'What did you get me?' The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. "The Woodlawn guys were like maniacs, and they were roaring all through their pre-game warm-ups. Gosh, that game was 40 years ago, which is unbelievable.". I remember it was good we didn't start when we were supposed to because they were at their peak. "All three kids were raised here. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. "We knew each other from grammar school.". In those days, the Banks-Woodlawn rivalry was like the Alabama-Auburn of Birmingham high school football, but maybe just a little friendlier. He said, 'Well, make sure you promise me you're going to finish what you started. 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. "So it was a great lesson for me. Nov 09, 1990 at 12:00 am. "But at that time, I had a concussion. Stearns recalls. ', "She said, 'No, but even more so, you're not going to be a quitter. It took him 36 years, but Nathan kept that promise to his coach. "I've never known a Nathan to quit anything," she said. 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. Coach Bill Parcells will probably keep three this year, but there is no guarantee. Jeff Rutledge. BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Forty years later, the details have gotten fuzzier and the legends have grown larger. 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. "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. "He ate a few pieces of it, but he didn't eat much.". My parents raised me that way. Birmingham, Alabama. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. 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. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge. [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. Where was Jeff Rutledge born? How tall is Jeff Rutledge? team protected 37 players during the off season and made the unprotected players available to other teams. I do believe.
Welcome. 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. 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. "It really did.".
Jeff Rutledge - McMillan Vantage We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. 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. But Norman, Okla., was cold and rainy when Nathan went to visit, and besides that, Switzer never bothered to come visit Nathan and his parents in Birmingham. He is from United States. (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). 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. New York Giants. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). Rutledge was born to Tony and Cheryl Rutledge in Cullman, Alabama, on April 21, 1989. . 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.
Rutledge's road back to NFL as Cards QB coach filled with ups and downs Josh Rutledge - Wikipedia So it was almost like it was the state championship game that night.". Former Buyer/Planner at Rutledge Properties LLC. "I didn't have to worry about cutting grass because they played all the time.". ''My first year in the league, with the Rams, it was hairy because they had so many quarterbacks in camp. 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. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Banks alums included Jimmy Sidle, an All-American quarterback at Auburn; Johnny Musso, an All-American running back at Alabama; and David Cutliffe, who became the head coach at Ole Miss and later, Duke. 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. . "It was Banks-Woodlawn. Nose tackle Bob Baumhower, who was two years ahead of Nathan at Alabama, was already there when Nathan arrived for his first camp. I still get chills thinking about it.". "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. fdar charting for blood transfusion $ 0.00 Cart. . We had a blast. 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. "And I didn't like that. "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. "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. "That's a scary thought now," the 58-year-old Nathan says of what might have been. Following his senior season at Alabama in 1978, Banks' Jeff Rutledge went on to play 13 years in the National Football League. "And then they told me that that guy (Nathan) was an All-American basketball player, and he wasn't going to be playing football. Quarterback Jeff Rutledge played 13 seasons for 3 teams. The unsung hero, though, was a little linebacker named Greg Muse, who had transferred to Banksafter living in Texas. 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.
Tony Nathan talks about racism, 'Woodlawn' They made great souvenirs, too, and fans mobbed him after the games to get a piece of Nathan's jersey. Jeff Rutledge Position: QB Birthdate: January 22, 1957 College: Alabama Draft: Selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 9th round (246th overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft Stats Gamelogs 300-Yard Passing Jeff Rutledge Stats Jeff Rutledge career stats with the Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and Washington Redskins. The regular season game was played in . "They do a great job of keeping us involved in what's going on and keeping us involved with the fans. "It was the thrill of my life," Louise Nathan says. Rutledge lived up to his star billing that night, completing 9 of 10 passes for 188 yards and that touchdown to Grefseng. That 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game would be Shorty White's 100th win at Banks, and his last. 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. Bill Battle, the young coach at Tennessee, wanted Nathan to come play for him in Knoxville, and Vols star quarterback Condredge Holloway showed him around on his official visit. 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 started taking online courses through the University of Alabama's Bama by Distance degree program, and this past May, at 58, he graduated.
Jeff Rutledge Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. His most notable play with the Giants came in Super Bowl XXI in the third quarter. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Jeff Rutledge's net worth ", The Banks players huddle around head coach Shorty White during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. "It's . #Jeff #Rutledge #Wiki Biography #Age #Height #Wife #Net #Worth #Family Tags: Age Biography Family Height Jeff Net Rutledge Wife Wiki Worth ----DeOssie and Roberts Out Steve DeOssie and William Roberts missed practice Wednesday. 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. We just couldn't put the icing on the cake.". (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). He is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children. Woodlawn, meanwhile, had a nice streak going, too, winning 11 in a row since it fell to Banks 17-7 in 1973. Nathan played nine years with the Dolphins and started in two Super Bowls.
Jeff Rutledge Career Stats | StatMuse 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. There's something always new at the courthouse.". He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. He is currently single. "I had some professors walk up to me and say, 'Hey, we were around when you were playing.'. Nathan is flanked by his parents William and Louise Nathan. So I had never beaten them.". "'And you told me you didn't want me to play this game. 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. 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. Jeffrey Brooks Rutledge, Meg Rutledge, Christen Rutledge. All three of Nathan's daughters have their college degrees - Nichole from South Florida and Natalie and Nadia from Alabama - as does his wife. In the 1980s, Banks High School -- home of those mighty Jets for all those years -- was closed as part of a city schools reorganization and it became Banks Middle School. Something like that. Everybody else was gone home for Christmas vacation, and I was like, 'What am I doing here?' Horgan III, Jeff Hart, Jim Rutledge of Canada, Gary Hallberg and Jeff Freeman pose together with their Qualifying cards during the Champions Tour. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. ", Tony Nathan breaks free with his tear-away jersey flying in the breeze. 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. Or was it 17-7? Former Realtor at ReallivingAdavanceRealty. '", So just think, if Louise Nathan hadn't put her foot down, maybe no one would have ever heard of "Touchdown Tony.". "He wasn't too pleased," Nathan recalls. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the. 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. "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. 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. "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. "Before Bo, there was Tony," Ragland says. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "And you're not going to be the first.". He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. Woodlawn High School had a much longer history that went back to 1916, when the community of Woodlawn was annexed into Birmingham. Simms is the Giants' starter and Jeff Hostetler is No. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. "There wasn't anybody that came to see me play or any of the other guys. The stoic Nathan even teared up as walked across the Coleman Coliseum stage to receive his diploma from outgoing UA President Judy Bonner. If they cut me and someone picks me up, they would have to get someone else not familiar with their system.'' That University of Alabama sorority girl who was in the stands at Legion Field that night? 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 were just talking about it. 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. In the days leading up to the game, both The Birmingham News and the Birmingham Post-Herald played it up as not only a clash of the titans between Banks and Woodlawn but also a Rutledge vs. Nathan showdown. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). If all that notoriety affected Nathan, none of his teammates could tell. Nathan, who wore number 22, went through as many as a dozen jerseys in some games. 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. Jeff is an experienced communications and public affairs professional with more than a decade working in government and the private sector. I will make you that promise. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. "Almost everybody who played in that (1974) game, you may not have been close friends with them, but you knew who they were," Grefseng, the Banks linebacker, says. Woodlawn never beat Banks during Nathan's three years on the varsity. From Banks, defensive lineman Freddie Knighton signed with Alabama, running back Jerry Murphree went to LSU, and linebacker Bob Grefseng played at Ole Miss. "What are you doing with that grip?'" 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. "That's why, for two years, we had a lot of focus and attention on Woodlawn. "He looked like he had a jet pack on his back," Baumhower recalls. 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. . "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.
Woodlawn vs. Banks 1974: Remembering the biggest game in Alabama high Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 63 years old? Jeffrey Hunter was born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr. on November 25, 1926 in New Orleans, Louisiana, an only child. 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 talked to Bill after practice Saturday,'' said Rutledge. 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. 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".