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. Center Dwight Stephenson and defensive back Don McNeal, who were a year behind him, would join the Dolphins the next year. He said, 'Well, make sure you promise me you're going to finish what you started. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). Rutledge led Montgomery Bell Academy to a 41-17 record from 20022006, with two state *les in 2002 and 2003 and a #15 ranking in the final USA Today Super 25 poll in 2003. He completed 30 of 42 passes for 363 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 12 yards for the game-tying touchdown with only 24 seconds remaining. When it came time to pick a college, Nathan considered going to Oklahoma, where renegade coach Barry Switzer was lighting up the scoreboard with a high-powered wishbone offense that was the talk of college football. "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. 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. By his senior year, it wasn't just folks in Birmingham talking about "Touchdown Tony." ", RELATED: Turning back the clock at Legion Field. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state titles at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. The next year, I was on injured reserve. [2] Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. On one particular visit, Bryant brought his overnight bag, Tony's father remembers. On October 2, 2019, his wife gave birth to a daughter. 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. Quarterback Jeff Rutledge played 13 seasons for 3 teams. There are 90+ professionals named "Jeff Rutledge", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. It wasn't anything boastful for him. "People drove up, saw the lines outside and just went on by. "And I didn't like that. 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. I said, 'You have to wait until you see me.' ''I wanted to know what he was thinking. Jeff Rutledge was born on January 22, 1957 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Or was it 17-7? Relationships We have no records of past relationships for Jeff Rutledge. 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". "We were out there playing in the mud and the rain," Woodlawn's Ragland says. William Nathan asked, referring to Bryant's bag. Some were easier. He got permission from his academic advisers to drop his courses with a withdraw-passing grade and come back to finish his degree later. (Birmingham News file/Robert Adams). He played college football at Alabama, where he was the team's starting quarterback for their 1978 National . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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 will miss Saturday night's exhibition game against the Giants at Giants Stadium. "That's why, for two years, we had a lot of focus and attention on Woodlawn. And in the memories of those who were there. On fourth down with a yard needed, he was sent by head coach Bill Parcells for a potential decoy play. "Greg was not very big but he had a huge heart and he gave Tony fits that night. In those days, the Banks-Woodlawn rivalry was like the Alabama-Auburn of Birmingham high school football, but maybe just a little friendlier. 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. We just couldn't put the icing on the cake.". So you go all out and do what you can do just to fit in.". team protected 37 players during the off season and made the unprotected players available to other teams. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. After seven seasons at Vanderbilt, Rutledge became the head coach at Montgomery Bell Academy, a school for seventh to 12th grade boys in Nashville. 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. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. So I had never beaten them.". To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Nathan says. ----DeOssie and Roberts Out Steve DeOssie and William Roberts missed practice Wednesday. . If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. ''My wife is frustrated,'' said Rutledge. And when the game finally did kick off a half-hour or so later, the crowd kept pouring in well into the second quarter. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. I don't know exactly when, but I'll do it.'". We prayed together, and from then on, I respected them and they respected me. "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. Commissioner Rutledge, a native of Newport, graduated from Newport High School and earned a B.S. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. 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. His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. 6' 1" (185 cm) How much does Jeff Rutledge weigh? Drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft (246th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Rams,[2] Rutledge played in 14 NFL seasons[3][5] from 1979 to 1992 for three different teams. A three-year starter, he also led Alabama to the #2 National ranking in 1977. "He looked like he had a jet pack on his back," Baumhower recalls. Contact . Senior Consultant. 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. 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. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. Tony Nathan, left, and Jeff Rutledge talk following the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. After completing the eighth grade, those students who would have gone to Banks instead went to Woodlawn High School, Banks' old rival. [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. If they cut me and someone picks me up, they would have to get someone else not familiar with their system.'' Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. Their two-year reign as 4A state champs also ended with a 12-0 shutout loss to eventual champion Homewood in the first round of the playoffs. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). I bought them last week. (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. We have estimated 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. Jeff Rutledge. He was a devoted husband and father and his favorite hobby was fishing. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Banks came in riding a 34-game unbeaten streak, its last loss coming to Woodlawn, 21-18, three years before. "Everywhere Tony lined up, there was Greg," Rutledge remembers. I knew when I came to training camp that it would be tough. [4], Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler. In 2013, he married Laura McKeeman (who took Rutledge's name upon marriage), a reporter and host for ESPN and the SEC Network. Charles Tillman Rutledge, Jr. Boiling Springs, SC Charles Tillman Rutledge, Jr., 80, of 2558 Old Furnace Road, passed away Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Spartanburg Hospital For Restorative Care . And since Banks and Woodlawn were in the same region -- and both were competing in 4A, which was then the largest high school classification in the state -- only one of them would advance. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state *les at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. An estimated 42,000 fans filled the lower bowl of Legion Field for the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game. "I told him, me being so far behind, I didn't want to flunk out. He is from United States. 6'1", 195 lbs. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Jeff was in the flooring business and owned Vintage Wood Floors, Inc. RELATED:See who plays Tony Nathan in 'Woodlawn'. There was no mortgage. "I get to meet a ton of people -- lawyers, defendants, victims -- and they all are different," Nathan says. The game, though, was way bigger than its two stars, a pair of Parade All-Americans who were among the most sought-after high school recruits in the country. "But it didn't bother me that I was forced to go to Woodlawn because a lot of my friends were at Woodlawn, too.". "That's what I always wanted. Jeff Rutledge Biography. 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 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. "We let them run and play," Tony's father, whom the family calls "Pops," says. The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. WE BUY HOUSES ANY PRICE ANY CONDITION CALL 205 966 4880 NOW. . View Jeff Rutledge results in Munford, AL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. ", Alabama basketball coach C.M. Simms is the Giants' starter and Jeff Hostetler is No. What is Jeff Rutledge's full name? 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. 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. On Sunday, the Jets lost their backup, Pat Ryan, for at least six to eight weeks with a sprained knee. Nathan is flanked by his parents William and Louise Nathan. 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. 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". 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. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). 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. 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. At the age of 32, starting his 11th season as a National Football League quarterback, Rutledge was not sure he would make the. Unbeknownst to either one of them at the time, she would later marry one of the game's biggest heroes. They all came to see Tony.". Unfortunately, he doesn't remember anything about it. 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. A creative problem solver with refined approach to crisis communications and media management. Jeff is survived by his wife, Dana; daughter, Payton Rutledge; son, Parker Rutledge; and several nieces and nephews. 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. Something else special happened that week, too. 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. 2. That University of Alabama sorority girl who was in the stands at Legion Field that night? "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. Add to that the fact that, back in those days, only one team from each region made the state playoffs. White says he was assured by the Legion Field crew that it would be able to handle the crowd. 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. ', "She said, 'No, but even more so, you're not going to be a quitter. You look at the schedule, and that was the one you've got marked down that you want to win. "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. Fully committed to football now, Nathan became one of the key cogs in a wishbone offense that was clicking on all cylinders. 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. "It was supposed to be a quick pass but somebody got in there and almost sacked Jeff. "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. He is currently single. And the majority of us did that. View the profiles of professionals named "Jeff Rutledge" on LinkedIn. Former Realtor at ReallivingAdavanceRealty. It was Geralds, Nathan would say later, who talked him out of quitting football, and for that, Nathan remained forever grateful. Welcome. "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. 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. 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. 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. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. 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. Everybody else was gone home for Christmas vacation, and I was like, 'What am I doing here?' We will update Jeff Rutledge's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. 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. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan).

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