. "I wanted some kind of meat to serve him," William Nathan remembers. Fast learner, critical thinker with an eye for efficiency, and generally fun guy. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. Later, while at Belmont High School in Mississippi, Gerelds was diagnosed with brain cancer, and he died in 2003, coaching right up until the end. He was part of a team that earned back-to-back state titles at L. Frazier Banks High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He played college football at Alabama, where he was the team's starting quarterback for their 1978 National . It was Grefseng's only touchdown catch of his Banks career. 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. "I think (defensive lineman) Marty Lyons could play today. After games, fans mobbed Nathan to get a piece of his jersey. 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. "They do a great job of keeping us involved in what's going on and keeping us involved with the fans. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Tony Nathan talks about racism, 'Woodlawn' (Sugar Jets was a reference to a brand of cereal from the 1950s and '60s.). 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. Now he is here and his family is there, and no one is happy. "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. Now he is not sure what he is. McNeal has been a pastor and counselor at the church, and he and Nathan are close, a friendship that dates back to their playing days at Alabama. Rutledge earned MVP honors at the 1978 Sugar Bowl and also earned All-SEC honors in 1978 and 1979. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. Rutledge was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. 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. 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. A creative problem solver with refined approach to crisis communications and media management. Jeff Rutledge Stats | The Football Database Discover Jeff Rutledge's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. It took him 36 years, but Nathan kept that promise to his coach. Charles Rutledge Obituary (1938 - 2019) - Boiling Springs, SC - Legacy Jeff Rutledge Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family It was Geralds, Nathan would say later, who talked him out of quitting football, and for that, Nathan remained forever grateful. The next Christmas, Santa Claus brought Tony his first official football. 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. He and his wife, Johnnie, who was his high school sweetheart at Woodlawn and his college sweetheart at Alabama, still live in the same house they bought in 1983. 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. After seven seasons at Vanderbilt, Rutledge became the head coach at Montgomery Bell Academy, a school for seventh to 12th grade boys in Nashville. 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 is now a bailiff for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Edward Newman, a former Dolphins teammate. Even though the Dolphins eventually lost in overtime, the play lives on in Miami lore. [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. Jeff is survived by his wife, Dana; daughter, Payton Rutledge; son, Parker Rutledge; and several nieces and nephews. 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. 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. Jeff Rutledge Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957) is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. That 1974 Banks-Woodlawn game would be Shorty White's 100th win at Banks, and his last. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "It was weird," he says. His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. (Photo courtesy of Tony Nathan). 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. (Birmingham News file/Charles Nesbitt). "There is no doubt in my mind that the delay in the game helped us,'' Banks' Grefseng says. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. "I don't even know if he realized how good he was back then. 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. "So it was a great lesson for me. White says he was assured by the Legion Field crew that it would be able to handle the crowd. 90+ "Jeff Rutledge" profiles | LinkedIn About Jeff Rutledge is a 66 year old American Football (American) Player born on 22nd January, 1957 in Birmingham, AL. "That's a scary thought now," the 58-year-old Nathan says of what might have been. On October 2, 2019, his wife gave birth to a daughter. Newton stood behind Nathan as he sat next to his parents and got his picture taken signing his letter of intent. If they cut me and someone picks me up, they would have to get someone else not familiar with their system.'' "Each gate had four openings in it for four lines of people," Garrett says, "but it still obviously wasn't enough.". Birmingham, AL. View Jeff Rutledge results in Munford, AL including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. 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. 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. How old is Jeff Rutledge? Woodlawn vs. Banks 1974: Remembering the biggest game in Alabama high Tony Nathan holds his youngest brother, Cedric, after he announces in December 1974 that he will attend the University of Alabama. (Birmingham News file) In the 1980s,. He was indeed a basketball guy, but Tony Nathan would be playing football for a long time. "Including his wife. (Photo courtesy of Banks High School Facebook page). He had 274 completions in 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is from United States. The year before, Logan had coached at rural Locust Fork High School in Blount County. ", Alabama basketball coach C.M. I will make you that promise. So, how much is Jeff Rutledge worth at the age of 65 years old? A few years ago, though, Nathan realized one thing was missing in his life. "And I didn't like that. Jeff Rutledge. WE BUY HOUSES ANY PRICE ANY CONDITION CALL 205 966 4880 NOW. "In high school, he was the best quarterback in the state of Alabama, and Coach Bryant did his job. 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. On Sunday, the Jets lost their backup, Pat Ryan, for at least six to eight weeks with a sprained knee. 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. Established network of influencers, political staff, department officials and media, supporting sound execution of public affairs initiatives. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. 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. PI Financial sued over unauthorized $1.5M withdrawal So I had never beaten them.". "The Woodlawn guys were like maniacs, and they were roaring all through their pre-game warm-ups. He is currently the head football coach at Valley Christian High School (Chandler, Arizona) in Chandler, Arizona. . When the Cardinals hired a new offensive coordinator at the end of that season, Rutledge and most of the offensive staff were fired. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Wore number 17 for the New York Giants. ''It's an odd world, isn't it?'' Once he started playing, though, she never let him quit. We had a blast. I remember it was good we didn't start when we were supposed to because they were at their peak. "They had the best running back in the state and we had the best quarterback," former Banks head coach George "Shorty" White remembers. 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. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. printers and related vendors. 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. 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. The regular season game was played in . His brother Gary Rutledge was also a quarterback at Alabama from 1972 to 1974. 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. "I was like, 'What?'" It hardly seemed like a swan-song performance. All rights reserved (About Us). That iconic Banks jet was turned over to the Southern Museum of Flight, where it has been restored to its Korean War glory days. "We have, I think, one of the best alumni associations in the NFL," Nathan says. BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Forty years later, the details have gotten fuzzier and the legends have grown larger. 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. 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. That year, the Cardinals made a late season run and earned a Super Bowl berth, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. team protected 37 players during the off season and made the unprotected players available to other teams. Jeff Rutledge - Wikipedia The next year, I was on injured reserve. WIFE'S SUGGESTION OF RETIREMENT LOST ON RUTLEDGE. He also led the Crimson Tide to two Sugar Bowl appearances and two SEC Championships. "All three kids were raised here. Perhaps that epic 1974 showdown at Legion Field between Birmingham high-school heavyweights Woodlawn and Banks would have been just another Friday night football game. "I didn't have to worry about cutting grass because they played all the time.". ", Tony Nathan runs behind his Miami Dolphins teammate Jeff Toews in a game against the New York Jets. He said, 'Well, make sure you promise me you're going to finish what you started. They included touchdown passes of 29, 20 and 43 yards. Josh Rutledge - Wikipedia (Linebacker) Barry Krauss could play today. Senior Consultant. I bought them last week. 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. "Everywhere Tony lined up, there was Greg," Rutledge remembers.

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