We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. I wanted him to have his degree. "He ate a few pieces of it, but he didn't eat much.". He was a basketball guy.". Bryant sealed the deal by promising Tony he would get a shot at playing basketball at Alabama, too. 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. "I just felt like I was the oldest cat in the house," he says. He is married to his wife Laura and has 3 children.[7]. Jeff Rutledge - Senior Consultant - McMillan Vantage Policy Group Some of the choices Jeff Rutledge made during his journey to become an NFL assistant coach were difficult. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Relationships We have no records of past relationships for Jeff Rutledge. 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. "Some do come in with attitudes, and you just have to diffuse them before they go in front of the judge. "That's what I always wanted. He was indeed a basketball guy, but Tony Nathan would be playing football for a long time. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. The family will receive friends from 12:00-1:30 pm, Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at . "It was odd to see people react and want a piece of cloth off of somebody else who was wearing it. ", Tony Nathan is joined by his wife, Johnnie, and his daughters Nichole, Natalie and Nadia at his induction into the Miami Dolphins Walk of Fame in 2014. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. "It was time for people to actually get along -- no matter what race or color you were," he says. "We were just talking about it. Wore number 17 for the New York Giants. We prayed together, and from then on, I respected them and they respected me. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But, Knoxville, too, was a little too far from home for Nathan. 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 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. He is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. "And I didn't like that. 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. The film builds to a finale where Woodlawn meets crosstown rival Banks, quarterbacked by Jeff Rutledge, who would eventually play at Alabama with Nathan. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. 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. Based in Dallas, Texas with over 20 years of experience in concept, design, art direction, and production of print and web materials including: magazine / newspaper ads, brochures, collateral, direct mail, email graphics, logos, signage, and web graphics. WE BUY HOUSES ANY PRICE ANY CONDITION CALL 205 966 4880 NOW. From Banks, defensive lineman Freddie Knighton signed with Alabama, running back Jerry Murphree went to LSU, and linebacker Bob Grefseng played at Ole Miss. Jeffrey Brooks Rutledge, Meg Rutledge, Christen Rutledge. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). "It really did.". William Nathan, who worked as millwright at Connors Steel in Birmingham, made his son Tony his first football by stitching together a strip of Naugahyde and stuffing it with rags and cotton balls. ", The Banks players huddle around head coach Shorty White during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. In a 1982 playoff game with San Diego that became known as "The Epic in Miami," Nathan was the exclamation point on one of the most memorable plays in Dolphins' history -- dashing untouched into the end zone after receiver Duriel Harris caught a pass from quarterback Don Strock and then tossed it back to the streaking Nathan on a legendary hook-and-lateral play that ignited a dramatic Miami comeback. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He would just tear it off and throw it up in the crowd. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. Rivals in high school, Nathan and Rutledge were teammates for four years at Alabama. ''Maybe it will make them think a bit or at least make their decision tough. Jeff Rutledge takes a breather during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. A Valuable Commodity. 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. An experienced communications and public affairs professional, with a record of effective strategic planning, outreach and engagement. "I get to meet a ton of people -- lawyers, defendants, victims -- and they all are different," Nathan says. After completing the eighth grade, those students who would have gone to Banks instead went to Woodlawn High School, Banks' old rival. 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. 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. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state titles at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. 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. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. ", RELATED: Turning back the clock at Legion Field. He is currently the head football coach at Valley Christian High School (Chandler, Arizona) in Chandler, Arizona. Bold denotes league leader. They included touchdown passes of 29, 20 and 43 yards. 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. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). View Jeff Rutledge results in Munford, AL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. 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. Jeff Rutledges income source is mostly from being a successful Player. he recalls. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the Giants. "Greg was not very big but he had a huge heart and he gave Tony fits that night. 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 was like, 'What?'" "I wanted to go home. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. 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. After the season ended, he accepted an assistant coaching position on Paul "Bear" Bryant's staff at Alabama, where he was part of back-to-back national championships in 1978 and 1979 -- the first of which featured Rutledge and Nathan in the starting backfield. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). 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. About Jeff Rutledge is a 66 year old American Football (American) Player born on 22nd January, 1957 in Birmingham, AL. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Discover Jeff Rutledge's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. 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. "We had a ball. "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.'''. "His jersey would just be hanging on him," Woodlawn teammate Brad Hendrix says. 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. DeOssie, who has been starting at inside linebacker, strained his back lifting weights. 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. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. "I knew some of those guys, and I'm like, 'Why would y'all be out here in the hot sun watching freshman football?'" "The touchdown was a busted play," he recalls. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state titles at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. fdar charting for blood transfusion $ 0.00 Cart. Rutledge's road back to NFL as Cards QB coach filled with ups and downs I knew it even before that, when Plan B came along.'' Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. "It was supposed to be a quick pass but somebody got in there and almost sacked Jeff. 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. [2] Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. It's been very interesting. "All three kids were raised here. [1], Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama,[2][3] where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. According to our records, Jeff Rutledge is possibly single. "In high school, he was the best quarterback in the state of Alabama, and Coach Bryant did his job. Tony Nathan, left, goes to midfield for the pre-game coin toss with his Woodlawn High School teammates Mike Allison, center, and Peyton Zarzour, right. "That's why, for two years, we had a lot of focus and attention on Woodlawn. By his senior year, it wasn't just folks in Birmingham talking about "Touchdown Tony." As depicted in the upcoming "Woodlawn" movie, droves of players, Nathan included, stepped forward to commit their lives to Christ that night. "I had some professors walk up to me and say, 'Hey, we were around when you were playing.'. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. That spiritual awakening not only inspired the team, but it reverberated throughout the entire school, defusing some racial tension that Nathan says he felt his first couple of years at Woodlawn. ', "I said, 'I will do that. Almost assuredly, Nathan would not be the featured character in the upcoming movie "Woodlawn," which opens nationwide on Oct. 16, and most definitely, he would not have written a book, "Touchdown Tony: Running With a Purpose," which comes out Tuesday. "But it didn't bother me that I was forced to go to Woodlawn because a lot of my friends were at Woodlawn, too.". Woodlawn, meanwhile, had a nice streak going, too, winning 11 in a row since it fell to Banks 17-7 in 1973. If they cut me and someone picks me up, they would have to get someone else not familiar with their system.'' Banks came in riding a 34-game unbeaten streak, its last loss coming to Woodlawn, 21-18, three years before. 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. The year before, Logan had coached at rural Locust Fork High School in Blount County. 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. Meanwhile, the recruiting letters continued to pour in from schools such as USC, Notre Dame, Texas and Oklahoma, as well as SEC schools Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee. He said he hadn't decided whether to keep two or three quarterbacks.''. (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). "It was the thrill of my life," Louise Nathan says. Following his senior season at Alabama in 1978, Banks' Jeff Rutledge went on to play 13 years in the National Football League. "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). Jeff Rutledge date of birth: January 22, 1957. As big as it was, though, even in these days where everything is just a Google or YouTube search away, only a few accounts and descriptions from that night are available, mainly in school yearbooks and newspaper archives. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. Mike Perez was waived Tuesday, leaving Rutledge as the only other quarterback on the roster. "It's been home a long time," Nathan says. White is now retired and living with his wife, June, in Helena. Meanwhile, Woodlawn High School stands majestically in the same location on First Avenue North, just like it has since 1922, and the football team is still sending players to the NFL, including Chris Davis, the Auburn cornerback who was the last-second hero of the 2013 Iron Bowl. Nathan played nine years with the Dolphins and started in two Super Bowls. 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. His wife, Laura, a former Miss . Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. UNEASY LIES THE HEAD OF NO. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. 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. "That was neat, that she had just come up (for the game), not knowing anything that was going to happen years later," Rutledge says. Who is Jeff Rutledge dating? Jeff Rutledge girlfriend, wife Where was Jeff Rutledge born? He was a devoted husband and father and his favorite hobby was fishing. 66. "When people say Tony Nathan, their ears go up. Birmingham police guessed another 20,000 gave up and went back home when they saw the long lines. All three of Nathan's daughters have their college degrees - Nichole from South Florida and Natalie and Nadia from Alabama - as does his wife. 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. 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. 1-ranked Huffman Vikings -- Woodlawn fans started calling Nathan "Touchdown Tony" and began clamoring for pictures and autographs. "It was an amazing thing to see all of those kids -- who grew up together and went to church together, played at Wahouma Park together - in that room together that night," Stearns says. 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. Charles Rutledge Obituary (1938 - 2019) - Boiling Springs, SC - Legacy Fast learner, critical thinker with an eye for efficiency, and generally fun guy. "We both started to laugh.". Football was going to be it. "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. What is Jeff Rutledge's full name? 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. An estimated 42,000 fans filled the lower bowl of Legion Field for the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. 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.