''But this is tough on the family. Jeffery Joseph Rutledge | Obituaries | koamnewsnow.com Nathan played his entire NFL career with the Dolphins - retiring in 1987 after nine seasons in the aqua and orange - and he has continued to make Miami his home, even when NFL assistant coaching jobs took him to Tampa Bay, Baltimore and San Francisco. The quiet, introverted Nathan didn't know quite what to make of all that attention. 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. . 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. Birmingham, AL. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? ", The Banks players huddle around head coach Shorty White during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. . (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). ", 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." 100.00 Down Payment and Houses with No Credit Check. Rutledge's road back to NFL as Cards QB coach filled with ups and downs 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. Jeff Rutledge - Biography - IMDb He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state *les at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. 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 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. QB Born: January 22, 1957 in Birmingham, AL Drafted: 1979 Rnd 9, Pick 246 by LA: College: Alabama: Career Stats Career Stats Game Log Game Log Splits Splits. Rutledge lived up to his star billing that night, completing 9 of 10 passes for 188 yards and that touchdown to Grefseng. He is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children. 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. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the. Some were easier. Jeff Rutledge, Nathan's old rival from Banks, was now his teammate, quarterbacking the Tide. Tony is a very revered guy here in our community, here in our church community.". Jeff Rutledge Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. "It's been home a long time," Nathan says. Fully committed to football now, Nathan became one of the key cogs in a wishbone offense that was clicking on all cylinders. (Birmingham News file/Robert Adams). ", Alabama basketball coach C.M. Jeff Rutledge Biography | HowOld.co 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. "It was supposed to be a quick pass but somebody got in there and almost sacked Jeff. You look at the schedule, and that was the one you've got marked down that you want to win. Banks came in riding a 34-game unbeaten streak, its last loss coming to Woodlawn, 21-18, three years before. ", Tony Nathan prepares to take a hand-off from quarterback Jeff Rutledge at the University of Alabama. Now he is not sure what he is. I wanted him to have his degree. . We were playing in front of 20,000 people regularly, so we were getting some big crowds.". Jeff Rutledge: Bear Bryant promised a national championship at Alabama 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. But she's been through this every year. "He looked like he had a jet pack on his back," Baumhower recalls. They all came to see Tony.". 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. Commissioner Rutledge, a native of Newport, graduated from Newport High School and earned a B.S. "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. "He wasn't too pleased," Nathan recalls. Add to that the fact that, back in those days, only one team from each region made the state playoffs. It was Geralds, Nathan would say later, who talked him out of quitting football, and for that, Nathan remained forever grateful. And the majority of us did that. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. 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. You could call it inspiration, you could call it whatever you like. (Birmingham News file) In the 1980s,. 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. See also [ edit] Rule 5 draft results References [ edit] As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Those were the days when running backs wore tear-away jerseys, which ripped when opposing players tried to bring down the ball carrier by grabbing ahold of his jersey. "And I didn't like that. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. Anyone can read what you share. It wasn't anything boastful for him. "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. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. It was Grefseng's only touchdown catch of his Banks career. 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. I knew it even before that, when Plan B came along.'' Tony Nathan, left, talks with Jeff Rutledge, right, after the famous Woodlawn-Banks high school football game at Legion Field in 1974. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Jeff Rutledge III - Facebook By his senior year, it wasn't just folks in Birmingham talking about "Touchdown Tony." ''Maybe it will make them think a bit or at least make their decision tough. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. ''You gear up for a time when you're going to get together as a family. 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. The next year, Nathan and Rutledge became teammates at the University of Alabama. Woodlawn students used to yell, ''Rip those Sugar Jets," which was a reference to this brand of cereal. 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. Jeffrey Brooks Rutledge, Meg Rutledge, Christen Rutledge. 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. "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. Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler. So, how much is Jeff Rutledge worth at the age of 65 years old? His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. "It was weird," he says. William Nathan was sold, though, and eventually, so was his son Tony. . He is not dating anyone. The year before, Logan had coached at rural Locust Fork High School in Blount County. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. A Valuable Commodity. 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 There was no mortgage. ''My wife is frustrated,'' said Rutledge. Something like that. "He's very respected here," McNeal says of his old teammate. 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. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. ", Tony Nathan runs behind his Miami Dolphins teammate Jeff Toews in a game against the New York Jets. 1-ranked Huffman Vikings -- Woodlawn fans started calling Nathan "Touchdown Tony" and began clamoring for pictures and autographs. We will update Jeff Rutledge's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. "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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The athletic teams at Banks adopted the name Jets, and in 1961, the Alabama Air National Guard loaned the school a Korean War-era F-86D Sabre jet, which was painted in the school colors of Columbia blue and scarlet and prominently displayed on campus, making it an inviting target for practical jokers from rival schools. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. said Rutledge. 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. Ragland, the former Woodlawn quarterback, recently watched an ESPN documentary about another Birmingham-area sports legend, Bessemer's Bo Jackson, and it reminded of that 14-year-old kid he first met at freshman football practice. "We had a ball. "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. But there was one catch. 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. 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jeff Rutledge, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. Former Buyer/Planner at Rutledge Properties LLC. We prayed together, and from then on, I respected them and they respected me. 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. In those days, the Banks-Woodlawn rivalry was like the Alabama-Auburn of Birmingham high school football, but maybe just a little friendlier. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. 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. ''My first year in the league, with the Rams, it was hairy because they had so many quarterbacks in camp. "That's a scary thought now," the 58-year-old Nathan says of what might have been. On the bus ride to Legion Field, the Woodlawn players knew it was a big deal when they got a police escort to the game, which was also a first for them. "There wasn't anybody that came to see me play or any of the other guys. 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. "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. 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. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. 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. Jeff Rutledge Biography. In 2006, the Birmingham Board of Education decided to close the deteriorating middle school, too, saying it was unsafe and an eyesore. Rutledge served as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League in 2009. His parents met at the University of Arkansas, and when he was almost four his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "But I was raised in the church anyway. 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. I think Tony could definitely play today. Jeff Rutledge date of birth: January 22, 1957. "It was a miserable way to end your season.". Tony could have gone anywhere. "Each gate had four openings in it for four lines of people," Garrett says, "but it still obviously wasn't enough.". An estimated 42,000 fans filled the lower bowl of Legion Field for the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. 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. Efforts to reach him for this story were unsuccessful. The Nathans go to the same church, New Testament Baptist Church, with his former Alabama and Miami teammate McNeal and his wife, Rhonda. Jeff Rutledge Stats | The Football Database 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. ", Tony Nathan breaks free with his tear-away jersey flying in the breeze. Woodlawn never beat Banks during Nathan's three years on the varsity. So it's tough for her to hear that she should wait. ABOUT | Jeff Rutledge 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. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. 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. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Newman serves as a criminal court judge in Miami-Dade County, and six years ago, he hired Nathan to be a bailiff in his courtroom. 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 will make you that promise. Nathan scored Woodlawn's only touchdown on a 13-yard run in the fourth quarter. "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. So I've never come to camp feeling confident I'd be in place. Horgan III, Jeff Hart, Jim Rutledge of Canada, Gary Hallberg and Jeff Freeman pose together with their Qualifying cards during the Champions Tour. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. 2. The regular season game was played in . Jeff Rutledge | American Football Database | Fandom "I was like, 'What?'" 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. ----DeOssie and Roberts Out Steve DeOssie and William Roberts missed practice Wednesday. #Jeff #Rutledge #Wiki Biography #Age #Height #Wife #Net #Worth #Family Tags: Age Biography Family Height Jeff Net Rutledge Wife Wiki Worth He was just a humble high school athlete. Jeff Rutledge - Pro-Football-Reference.com 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. By his senior season in 1974, Woodlawn running back Tony Nathan was one of the most sought-after high school football players in America. Nathan played nine years with the Dolphins and started in two Super Bowls. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). "It was Banks-Woodlawn. Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. 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. "We knew each other from grammar school.". Established network of influencers, political staff, department officials and media, supporting sound execution of public affairs initiatives. Soon enough, though, Tony would be all around the ball. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. "He ate a few pieces of it, but he didn't eat much.". . Woodlawn vs. Banks 1974: Remembering the biggest game in Alabama high "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. In 2013, he married Laura McKeeman (who took Rutledge's name upon marriage), a reporter and host for ESPN and the SEC Network. The next year, I was on injured reserve. 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. My parents raised me that way. The unsung hero, though, was a little linebacker named Greg Muse, who had transferred to Banksafter living in Texas. 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 Skins last game of the regular season, again against the Philadelphia Eagles. 90+ "Jeff Rutledge" profiles | LinkedIn He got permission from his academic advisers to drop his courses with a withdraw-passing grade and come back to finish his degree later. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. "So it was a great lesson for me. "When people say Tony Nathan, their ears go up. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. 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. "It was a culmination of really four years of building up to that point," Woodlawn quarterback Denny Ragland remembers. "I think back about our team, and I think about the players who played then and who could play now in terms of their strength and speed and ability," Legg says. Jeff Rutledge Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. I do believe. 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. "It was the thrill of my life," Louise Nathan says. After Thursday morning's practice, the Giants will leave for their annual welcome-home lunch at the Sheraton Centre. "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. The purchase date corresponds with most of the transfers from Mr. Slaughter's account, according to the suit. An experienced communications and public affairs professional, with a record of effective strategic planning, outreach and engagement. New York Giants. I said, 'You have to wait until you see me.' "That was neat, that she had just come up (for the game), not knowing anything that was going to happen years later," Rutledge says. As depicted in the upcoming "Woodlawn" movie, droves of players, Nathan included, stepped forward to commit their lives to Christ that night. How old is Jeff Rutledge? Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. By WARNER HESSLER Staff Writer. His most notable play with the Giants came in Super Bowl XXI in the third quarter. Or was it 17-7? 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. "In high school, he was the best quarterback in the state of Alabama, and Coach Bryant did his job. It's been very interesting. The Colonels had something else going for them, too. Jeff Rutledge Career Stats | StatMuse Our defensive game plan was awesome.". Jeffrey Hunter was born Henry Herman McKinnies Jr. on November 25, 1926 in New Orleans, Louisiana, an only child. They got at least part of that right. "They had the best running back in the state and we had the best quarterback," former Banks head coach George "Shorty" White remembers. A couple of weeks before their game, Banks' White alerted the Legion Field staff to expect a monster crowd. 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. Rutledge and his wife had just moved into their dream house in Atlanta, but felt it was the best job available. Nov 09, 1990 at 12:00 am. 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. Carden Jefferson "Jeff" Rutledge - Wages and sons They made great souvenirs, too, and fans mobbed him after the games to get a piece of Nathan's jersey. When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. Alabama Crimson Tide football yearly statistical leaders, History of the New York Giants (19791993).