Jeff Rutledge was born on January 22, 1957 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The stoic Nathan even teared up as walked across the Coleman Coliseum stage to receive his diploma from outgoing UA President Judy Bonner. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But, Knoxville, too, was a little too far from home for Nathan. Tony Nathan holds his youngest brother, Cedric, after he announces in December 1974 that he will attend the University of Alabama. I knew it even before that, when Plan B came along.'' "So it was a great lesson for me. And I don't know when that will be.'' A three-year starter, he also led Alabama to the #2 National ranking in 1977. 1-ranked Huffman Vikings -- Woodlawn fans started calling Nathan "Touchdown Tony" and began clamoring for pictures and autographs. And Then There Were Three. 3 QUARTERBACK, https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/24/sports/uneasy-lies-the-head-of-no-3-quarterback.html, Frank Litsky, Special To the New York Times. 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. 66. 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. "We were just talking 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. Only two practice sessions remain at the Fairleigh Dickinson campus here. Hoover, Alabama. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. ", Tony Nathan strikes a Heisman-like pose as he tries to avoid a linebacker. Nose tackle Bob Baumhower, who was two years ahead of Nathan at Alabama, was already there when Nathan arrived for his first camp. It wasn't so much the football I wanted. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. The following Friday night, Woodlawn closed out its season on a cold, rainy night at Fair Park, defeating Carver 12-0. 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. Now he is here and his family is there, and no one is happy. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. You could call it inspiration, you could call it whatever you like. I think Tony could definitely play today. There's something always new at the courthouse.". As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. Soon enough, though, Tony would be all around the ball. (Birmingham News file/Robert Adams). 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. Jeffrey Brooks Rutledge, Meg Rutledge, Christen Rutledge. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. Since then, Rutledge has been mostly a backup. ", Tony Nathan prepares to take a hand-off from quarterback Jeff Rutledge at the University of Alabama. 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. 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. "I said, 'If we win (the next game) and they win, we are both going to be undefeated when we play each other, and it's going to be the biggest high school crowd there ever will be,'" White recalls. 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. Something like that. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Tony Nathan, left, and Jeff Rutledge talk following the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. We definitely love Miami. "We were down 24-zip and nothing was going right, and that was the play that gave us the spark to come back. Jeff Rutledges income source is mostly from being a successful Player. 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. "I wanted to go home. 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 . It hardly seemed like a swan-song performance. "But at that time, I had a concussion. It was Geralds, Nathan would say later, who talked him out of quitting football, and for that, Nathan remained forever grateful. How old is Jeff Rutledge? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In those days, the Banks-Woodlawn rivalry was like the Alabama-Auburn of Birmingham high school football, but maybe just a little friendlier. From Banks, defensive lineman Freddie Knighton signed with Alabama, running back Jerry Murphree went to LSU, and linebacker Bob Grefseng played at Ole Miss. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. "Well, Shula knew what talent was," Nathan says. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. The next year, I was on injured reserve. Tony is a very revered guy here in our community, here in our church community.". 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. ", The Banks players huddle around head coach Shorty White during the 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game at Legion Field in Birmingham. I bought them last week. It was Grefseng's only touchdown catch of his Banks career. 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. Coach Bill Parcells will probably keep three this year, but there is no guarantee. You look at the schedule, and that was the one you've got marked down that you want to win. His two older sisters went to Banks, but after the Birmingham schools were desegregated, he was zoned for Woodlawn. "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. See the article in its original context from. His wife, Laura, a former Miss . 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. "You wouldn't have known him to be any different from any of the other players on the team," Hendrix, who went on to play briefly with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, says. Rutledge, 58, who was the quarterbacks coach of the Cardinals in their only Super Bowl season, said Alabama never stopped aspiring to the biggest heights in college football since he left. [2] Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up quarterback and a holder on kicks. [4], Rutledge is a Christian and attends Arizona Community Church in Chandler. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). "To be a 16-, 17-year-old kid, I had never seen anybody run and do the things Tony did athletically. In 2013, he married Laura McKeeman (who took Rutledge's name upon marriage), a reporter and host for ESPN and the SEC Network. jeff.rutledge@mcmillanvantage.com. He was a basketball guy.". Commissioner Rutledge, a native of Newport, graduated from Newport High School and earned a B.S. fdar charting for blood transfusion $ 0.00 Cart. It's been very interesting. White is now retired and living with his wife, June, in Helena. The next year, they got Bert Jones. The Colonels had something else going for them, too. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). Even though the Dolphins eventually lost in overtime, the play lives on in Miami lore. The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). "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. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? The other day, Rutledge called his wife and told her to wait. We felt like we were probably the two best teams in Alabama, but only one of us was going to get to go to the state. He received his degree from Alabama in Business Administration and in 2011, was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. ''My first year in the league, with the Rams, it was hairy because they had so many quarterbacks in camp. A Valuable Commodity. [3][6], Rutledge served as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League in 2009.[3]. Tony could have gone anywhere. So it's tough for her to hear that she should wait. 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. "Some of the other running backs didn't want to be that lead blocker. He was worn out, and he was just tearing the rest of his jersey off.". "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. 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. So, how much is Jeff Rutledge worth at the age of 65 years old? "It was a culmination of really four years of building up to that point," Woodlawn quarterback Denny Ragland remembers. (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). William Nathan asked, referring to Bryant's bag. 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. '", So just think, if Louise Nathan hadn't put her foot down, maybe no one would have ever heard of "Touchdown Tony.". We had a blast. Efforts to reach him for this story were unsuccessful. 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. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 63 years old? 1972 His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. Jeff Rutledge was born on 22 January, 1957 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, is an American football coach and former quarterback. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). Birmingham, AL. By WARNER HESSLER Staff Writer. 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. Anyone can read what you share. Following his senior season at Alabama in 1978, Banks' Jeff Rutledge went on to play 13 years in the National Football League. I still get chills thinking about it.". 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 started playing pickup basketball games with some older boys in the neighborhood, and he was good enough that he was recruited to play in a rec league at Huffman Park. The unsung hero, though, was a little linebacker named Greg Muse, who had transferred to Banksafter living in Texas. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember anything about it. 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. 2. "I played with older guys, and I wanted to be able to play on their level," Nathan says. As a senior, he was a member of the 1974 Parade High School All-American team. "The touchdown was a busted play," he recalls. "They all looked at me like, 'OK, don't you think it's your time?'" "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. 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. 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. 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. "The trouble is, it's on VHS cassette, and my VHS player died years ago.". Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. 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. 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. That University of Alabama sorority girl who was in the stands at Legion Field that night? See also [ edit] Rule 5 draft results References [ edit] 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. Six years later, he led the Tigers to an undefeated 15-0 season and a 4A state championship. "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. "Up until my eighth-grade year, I had been going to Banks games all my life, watching Jeff Rutledge's older brother, Gary, and Johnny Musso play,'' Ragland says. ", Tony Nathan breaks free with his tear-away jersey flying in the breeze. "That's a scary thought now," the 58-year-old Nathan says of what might have been. 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. "I had some professors walk up to me and say, 'Hey, we were around when you were playing.'. "I came to stay until Tony makes up his mind," Bryant replied. "What are you doing with that grip?'" The year before, Logan had coached at rural Locust Fork High School in Blount County. RELATED:See who plays Tony Nathan in 'Woodlawn'. 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. Now he is not sure what he is. ", RELATED: Turning back the clock at Legion Field. The two schools were just 10 minutes and less than four miles apart. Wasn't it 14-0? Woodlawn, meanwhile, had a nice streak going, too, winning 11 in a row since it fell to Banks 17-7 in 1973. "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. "It was just that time. "They do a great job of keeping us involved in what's going on and keeping us involved with the fans. Once he started playing, though, she never let him quit. 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. 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. 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. That iconic Banks jet was turned over to the Southern Museum of Flight, where it has been restored to its Korean War glory days. Mike Perez was waived Tuesday, leaving Rutledge as the only other quarterback on the roster. "And when they were picking teams, I wanted to get picked. "This was before Bo Jackson," Ragland, the Woodlawn quarterback, says. Jeff Rutledge Biography. "All three kids were raised here. They got at least part of that right. 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. He resigned in the Spring of 2012 to return to Arizona to spend time with his family. 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. I do believe. He is currently the head football coach at Valley Christian High School (Chandler, Arizona) in Chandler, Arizona. He had 274 completions in 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. They've been married for going on 37 years now, with three children and nine grandkids. 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. A couple of weeks before their game, Banks' White alerted the Legion Field staff to expect a monster crowd. "I was like, 'What?'" 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). 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". 6'1", 195 lbs. WE BUY HOUSES ANY PRICE ANY CONDITION CALL 205 966 4880 NOW. [1], Rutledge played collegiately at Alabama,[2][3] where he was a member of three SEC Championship teams under Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. 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. 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. are hard-pressed to remember the final score. The Nathans go to the same church, New Testament Baptist Church, with his former Alabama and Miami teammate McNeal and his wife, Rhonda. So the magic from that night continues to live on. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. 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. Some of the choices Jeff Rutledge made during his journey to become an NFL assistant coach were difficult. of development through completion. (Birmingham News file). ", Tony Nathan runs behind his Miami Dolphins teammate Jeff Toews in a game against the New York Jets. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The kids are disappointed. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. Out on the field, one of the players, a linebacker who also filled in as back-up tight end, caught the only touchdown pass of his high-school career, in what was by far the biggest game of his career. 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. Jerry McDonald, a split end and defensive back, turned down college football offers and decided to play baseball instead after he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. Bryant sealed the deal by promising Tony he would get a shot at playing basketball at Alabama, too. 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.