", Alabama basketball coach C.M. I can tell you, Tony had no trouble with his blocking.". Senior Consultant. Manage Settings When the teams ran back onto the field for the third time, the lower bowl of Legion Field was practically full. Tony Nathan holds his youngest brother, Cedric, after he announces in December 1974 that he will attend the University of Alabama. 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 was a miserable way to end your season.". Jeff Rutledge - Head of Internal Communications - LinkedIn Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? 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 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. ''Maybe it will make them think a bit or at least make their decision tough. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. By his senior year, it wasn't just folks in Birmingham talking about "Touchdown Tony." Who is Jeff Rutledge dating? Jeff Rutledge girlfriend, wife "It wasn't hard to grab a piece of it. And I don't know when that will be.'' Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. 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 . I will make you that promise. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. But she's been through this every year. Jeff Rutledge Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. He is from United States. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). Tony Nathan talks about racism, 'Woodlawn' 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. After games, fans mobbed Nathan to get a piece of his jersey. I don't remember that whole week. By Frank Litsky, Special To the New York Times. "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. "They had the best running back in the state and we had the best quarterback," former Banks head coach George "Shorty" White remembers. 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. There are 90+ professionals named "Jeff Rutledge", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. White is now retired and living with his wife, June, in Helena. 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. Efforts to reach him for this story were unsuccessful. 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.. ''But this is tough on the family. Stearns recalls. After Friday morning's practice, they will break camp and return to Giants Stadium, where practices are closed to the public. 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. in Plant Science from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and a Masters in Agronomy (Weed Science) from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Jeff Rutledge: Bear Bryant promised a national championship at Alabama Jeff Rutledge Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images They made great souvenirs, too, and fans mobbed him after the games to get a piece of Nathan's jersey. Menu Log In Sign Up (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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.". Fully committed to football now, Nathan became one of the key cogs in a wishbone offense that was clicking on all cylinders. "I was like, 'What?'" "That's what I always wanted. "I've never known a Nathan to quit anything," she said. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. 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. 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. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). He had 274 completions in 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. 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. Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. 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. He was just a humble high school athlete. "I played with older guys, and I wanted to be able to play on their level," Nathan says. Unbeknownst to either one of them at the time, she would later marry one of the game's biggest heroes. And Then There Were Three. 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. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. 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,. 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. Rutledge served as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League in 2009. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. ', "I said, 'I will do that. '", So just think, if Louise Nathan hadn't put her foot down, maybe no one would have ever heard of "Touchdown Tony.". ", RELATED: Turning back the clock at Legion Field. 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. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. I told Coach Gerelds that I didn't want him to be anywhere near the ball.". When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. Ragland recalls. 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. Former Buyer/Planner at Rutledge Properties LLC. I do believe. "So it was a great lesson for me. Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, grew up in a house divided. See also [ edit] Rule 5 draft results References [ edit] We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 22 January. Simms is the Giants' starter and Jeff Hostetler is No. View the profiles of professionals named "Jeff Rutledge" on LinkedIn. He was the starting quarterback on the 1978 National Championship team. Contact . "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. A month ago, Jeff and Laura Rutledge decided that today would be Reunion Day, the day Laura and their three children would leave their home in Mission Viejo, Calif., and fly east to join Jeff for the winter. The next year, they got Bert Jones. Experienced backup quarterbacks can be valuable when injuries strike. The next Christmas, Santa Claus brought Tony his first official football. By Friday, the excitement was at full-tilt boogie. 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. If it had been up to Louise Nathan, her son Tony never would have touched a football.