Stanford went 22-8-2 in his three years, and he said his best game was a 27-17 victory over Ohio State in the Rose Bowl January 1, 1971. The massive arms of Plunkett transformed college football, changing the perception of the game from being a ground game to one that was exciting and fast. Jim attended James Lick High School in East San Jose, California.He won the Heisman Trophy in 1970 as quarterback for Stanford University. "Stanford is in both our hearts," says Gerry Plunkett, Jim's wife of 28 years, "because I see how very much it means to him.". "Years of getting my butt kicked," Plunkett says. The 1971 Rose Bowl is regarded as the period when Stanford football returned to prominence. 1 choice in the N.F.L. He passed for 18 touchdowns and 2,299 yards during the season, guiding the Raiders to nine victories in their last 11 games and a wild-card spot in the playoffs. In 1971, he was drafted by the New England Patriots, and he went on to have a successful career in the NFL. Otherwise, Plunkett might not have been playing for the Oakland Raiders in the fall of 1980, when the Heisman Trophy winner from Stanford jump-started an improbable career resurrection that culminated in two Super Bowl victories. And he ended up an emblem of individual and shared achievement on a team that's linked forever by one revered season. Plunkett, Lasater and Schultz were there with friends and other former teammates before the Wake Forest game in September, reveling in the juiciest memories. [15], Plunkett is the subject of annual debate about whether he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When the Heisman vote was announced, Plunkett won by a wide margin. He retired during the 1988 pre-season as the fourth-leading passer in Raiders history. Prior to retiring, he earned between $400,000 and $600,000 per year. Plunkett's Stanford career nearly ended before it began. He was a member of the National Football Leagues Atlanta Falcons for 16 seasons. It seems to me that Jim has a lot of courage because he played even when he was injured or in pain. He is valued at Stanford not only for his academic achievements, but also for his humility and commitment as a student from the very beginning. Leading James Lick High School in San Jose to an unbeaten season as a senior, he was chosen for a state all-star game and was heavily recruited by colleges. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders for 1978. Plunkett was the only quarterback who led his team to two Super Bowl victories, and he is the only starter to lead his team to two Super Bowl victories but is not eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. draft, things like that. He led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981. It was a memorable year as he surpassed many of his league records, passing for 2,715 yards and 18 touchdowns as Stanford went 8-3 and won the Pac-8. Armada Halogen is the leading technology powered travel security risk management company with swift response capabilities. Resisting the temptation to turn pro in 1970, Plunkett stayed for his senior season. "We didn't want to live through that again.". For any number of questions about what sustains Plunkett, what fulfills him, there is just one answer: "I love my wife. The 32-year-old Plunkett came off the bench to relieve Pastorini, throwing five interceptions in a 3117 loss. Playing for the Oakland Raiders, Pastorini broke his shinbone and cartilage in his knee. A few examples include players who were considered busts but rebounded to make their mark on the game. Plunkett went on to an NFL career that included two Super Bowl victories while quarterbacking the Raiders, but also included years of physical trauma that left him hobbled and in near constant pain. Jim Plunkett was born in San Francisco, California on December 5th, 1947. '', That's not always easy when the hucksters move in. He is also the only player to pass for 25, 882 yards, 164 touchdown passes, and 198 picks. He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the New England Revolution and San Francisco 49ers before being released by both organizations in 1978. He led the team to a Pac-8 Conference championship and a berth in the 1971 Rose Bowl. He's still connected to the Raiders. Randy Vataha had the same misgivings when he transferred in as a junior. Continuing to be effective, Plunkett finished second in the NFL in passing yards in 1973, and in 1974 led the Patriots to an impressive 6-1 start, and the team's first non losing season in eight years, finishing second in the NFL in team scoring with 348 points, seven behind league leader Oakland. Former Raider and Stanford star quarterback Jim Plunkett of Atherton wasn't too pleased with that last one. This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. He's as tough a guy as I've ever met. I still feel good when I think about it., Assistant coach Mike Whitewho later was head coach for Cal, the University of Illinois and the Oakland Raidersremembers vividly the doubts about whether Plunkett "could project enough" to motivate a team as a quarterback. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. For that, he collected a black and silver Toyota automobile and a Seiko watch from Sport magazine at a luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria last week. His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. Is it a person who sells newspapers or a company that makes newspapers?, Name 2 other sports that Jim played. STR 59. We provide safe, convenient and unique travel experience using intel, modern technology and quality resources, after considering all threats to ensure clients arrive safely at their destinations. He is the only eligible two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has not been voted in. He worked from an early age, cleaning up at a gas station while in elementary school, delivering newspapers, bagging groceries, and working in orchards. Plunkett was born on Dec. 5, 1947, in San Jose, Calif., the youngest of three children. The rest of the Stanford cast was anything but ordinary. . But his stellar performances week after week, as well as a bootstrapped marketing campaign by the athletic department (see sidebar), increased Plunkett's visibility. His career began as a backup to Plunkett but he was never able to establish himself as a starter. Stanford, CA 94305-6105. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since . Its still hard for me to talk about it, Plunkett says during a phone interview, his voice catching. The world's most inspirational film competeition because of YOU. He played quarterback on the schools football team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1965 North Coast Section championship game. He never let go of his dream. Jim attended high school at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. His father died before his junior season and Plunkett made sure there was time to spend with his mother no matter how great the pressures at Stanford. AGI 74. His successful junior campaign saw him set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786). To this day he has a tendency to drop into the background, heightened sometimes by the pervasive sadness of his son's death. Plunkett has many interests and ventures, ranging from speaking engagements and autograph contracts for football cards and jerseys to his longtime involvement on behalf of the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto. Although Plunkett is easily spotted at Stanford events and extends his help to each new generation of athletes, his connection to Lasater, Moore, Schultz and Vataha is part of his identity. Plunkett's first game was a 206 victory over the Oakland Raiders, the Patriots' first regular-season contest at Schaefer Stadium. Prior to the 1976 NFL Draft, Plunkett was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for quarterback Tom Owen, two first-round picks in 1976, and a first and second-round pick in 1977. Check out the Jim Plunkett Hispanic Heritage 83 item on Madden NFL 23 - Ratings, Prices and more! Playing for a traditionally mediocre program on the West Coast, Plunkett was a long-shot Heisman candidate compared to the other favorites: quarterbacks Archie Manning of Mississippi and Joe Theismann of Notre Dame. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. [4] In 1983, Plunkett again ascended from backup to starter to quarterback the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. Theyre both very important to me, Plunkett says of his Super Bowl victories, but the first one, after the resurrection, the struggle, the payoff at the end was quite incredible.. "I'd never been in a losing situation before.". She's 67 now and I don't think she went to any of the Raider games last year. But he also was gifted with staunch confidence and a ferocious appetite for challenges. Plunkett grew up in San Jose, California, the son of parents who were Native American and Hispanic. But more than most athletes, he understands perspective. His mother, Carmen, had not seen the outside world since she was 19 years old due to typhoid. Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. Plunkett threw for 2,935 yards, 20 touchdown passes, and 18 picks in that season. ", Plunkett's against-the-odds story drew legions of fans, including some who were only casual football rooters. ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He. Jim went to William C. Overfelt High School in the 9th and 10th grades and then transferred to and graduated from James Lick High School, both located in east San Jose, California. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. In 1983, Marc Wilson was the Raiders starter who went down hurt, and Plunkett again came off the bench, and again spurred the team to a Super Bowl championship, a 38-9 trouncing of the Washington Redskins. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. He retired after undergoing 18 surgical procedures during his playing days. Plunkett was the first player of Hispanic heritage to be drafted with the first overall pick in the NFL draft. TUP 83. Then he threw for 261 yards again in the Super Bowl. After two seasons as a backup to Ken Stabler, Plunkett opened the 1980 season backing up newcomer Dan Pastorini, whod been acquired in a trade for Stabler. They met at a school for the blind in San Jose where my mother was learning Braille. Enter the 2022 MY Hero Songwriting/Music Video Contest! '', Jim Plunkett is reminded of that whenever he visits his mother now. Jim Plunkett, 74, was a former American football quarterback who played for the Philadelphia Packers and the Houston Texans. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. In three seasons with the Indians, Jims total offensive records included most pass attempts (962); most pass completions (530); most net yards passing (7,544); most touchdown passes (52); most plays total offense (1,174); and most yards total offense (7,887). To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. MY HERO Project seeks unique works of art by professional and student artists that celebrate the lives and courageous acts of heroes who work to promote change by positively affecting others and their communities. Wins over Oregon State and Washington nailed down the Pac-8 title and a January 1 Rose Bowl berth. [10], When Jim was growing up, the family's financial situation was a big problem for him. That year he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XV, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. As the No. Slow to recover from the surgery on his neck, Plunkett didn't impress anybody during spring practice at the end of his freshman year. '', When he and his mother, Carmen, took walks, he would describe the scenery to her. I have taught linguistics and phonetics at multiple universities for the past 15 years.Technology has made exciting advances in phonetics, the science concerned with the structure and function of human speech, in recent years. By this time, Jim's two older sisters, Genevieve (16 years older than Jim) and Mary Ann (5 years older than Jim) had been born; Jim was born in 1947, after the family had moved to Santa Clara. He was a good student and an excellent athlete. Jim had many obstacles he had to overcome. the combining form for plasma minus the clotting proteins is jim plunkett parents blind He was named Rookie of the Year that first season, but little worked out for either him or the team from that point on, and he took a steady beating behind the Pats' weak offensive line. At Stanford, Plunkett set a school records for passing yards (2,156) and touchdowns (14) as a sophomore, and then broke those records in subsequent seasons finishing his NCAA career with 7,809 passing yards and 53 touchdowns. [21], Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 01:58, List of NCAA major college football yearly passing leaders, List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders, "HOF Voter: Jim Plunkett Would Not Get My Vote", "Jim Plunkett and the Pro Football Hall of Fame", "Jim Plunkett's road to Super Bowl champion wasn't always smooth", "Greatest Cinderella stories in NFL history", "Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders Franchise Encyclopedia", "Oakland Raiders Quarterback Jim Plunkett vs. Denver Broncos Quarterback John Elway: Fan Take", "Why Raiders QB Jim Plunkett is not a Hall of Famer", "Barnwell: How the 'average' NFL QB has changed dramatically", "A Deeper Look at the Stabler Hall of Fame Debate", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "Former NFL quarterback Jim Plunkett opens up on health: 'My life sucks', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jim_Plunkett&oldid=1140846577, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 01:58. A Heisman Trophy winner and future College Football Hall of Fame inductee at Stanford,[2] Plunkett was selected first overall by the New England Patriots in the 1971 NFL Draft. "When I found out I'd finished second to Jim," said Theismann in 1984, "I was genuinely crushed. Jim Plunkett is a remarkable man who has overcome many obstacles in his life. The race was 440 yards, and Moore says he expected to beat Plunkett, "who never looked good as a runner," by 30 yards or more. "The team was full of an awful lot of talented guys as well as egos," says Schultz, who was a strong safety. They met while attending the California School for the Blind in Berkeley, and were married in 1934. But Plunkett was the face of the team's success, that strong chin like a pointer for his powerful arm. [8] Plunkett's parents were both born in New Mexico, both Mexican Americans; his mother, whose maiden name was Carmen Blea, was born in Santa Fe and his father, William Gutierrez Plunkett, was born in Albuquerque. Its a stark contrast to 1980, when Plunkett longed to leave Oakland in hopes of reinvigorating a fading career. When Gerry Plunkett recently won her sixth Stanford Women's Golf Club championshipshe and Jim are avid players she told friends that an appropriate celebration should have included temporarily covering up her husband's Heisman, just to emphasize her moment in the spotlight. His reputation was severely hampered by his shadow, and he was ignored andunderappreciated. Before family and friends in Northern California, Plunkett had two inconsistent years with the 49ers and then was released before the 1978 season. ", In addition to mustering his physical skills, Plunkett had to change the coaches' perception of what a leader was. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. He also sits on the board at the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Palo Alto, supporting a cause close to his heart. "In 1972 my confidence ran into a stone wall," he said. For example, he once damaged his shoulder, but he kept on playing. "You got the look from Jim," recalls Vataha, a wide receiver, "and the look was not comfortable. His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. But Plunkett had a huge senior year, passing for 2,715 yards and 19 touchdowns as upstart Stanford won the Pac-8 title. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. I still feel good when I think about it.". "I was extremely quiet when I got to Stanford," acknowledges Plunkett. He is estimated to be worth $10 million, with the majority of his money coming from his NFL career. Whenever we went on a trip, we usually took a bus. (Photo: Timothy Archibald), BAND OF BROTHERS: With Jack Lasater, Randy Vataha, Bob Murphy and Jack Schultz. As a sophomore, 1968, he passed for 2,156 yards, a record in what was then the Pac-8 Conference. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since she was 19 because of typhoid fever. My father wouldn't let my mother cook. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. Jim Plunkett (Stanford University, 1970) was the runaway winner of the 1970 Heisman trophy as the nation's top college football player. SAC 81. I didn't do things to put them out, though. But sometimes I'd forget. [12] His performance originally caused head coach John Ralston to switch him to defensive end, but Plunkett was adamant in remaining at quarterback, throwing 500 to 1,000 passes every day to polish his arm. Jim Plunkett was born in San Francisco, California, on December 5, 1947. ''I tell people that one of the things that always annoyed my parents was having others thinking they were handicapped. Browse and share audio in our library. [14] The Raiders, however, believing that Marc Wilson did not have the experience they wanted, called on Plunkett to start for the remainder of the year. Jack and Aletha were determined to give Jim a normal life, and he attended public schools and played sports. Surgery was required to remove a malignant tumor that would end his football playing days. They also helped Carmen with cooking and other household chores. Her dad was afraid she'd stay in New York. He threw for more touchdown passes than interception in all of his professional seasons except five, but he had more losing seasons than winning seasons. At tailgates, they are now the keepers of the same patch of ground in the Chuck Taylor Grove that was established by players' parents in the 1960s. The family lived in relative poverty, and received state financial aid. Bill Parcells was the first Hispanic-American head coach of the NFL, and Tom Flores won two Super Bowl rings. The Raiders ignored his request and five weeks into the season, Plunkett's resurrection began. "He was on my shoulder the whole time," Moore recalls. In his first game as a starter, he completed eleven of fourteen passes with a touchdown and no interceptions. I know life goes on but its been devastating. Jim Plunkett is my hero because he inspires me to never give up. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. Plunkett was born December 5, 1947 in Santa Clara, California and was a high school star there. '', His mother attended the 1971 Rose Bowl game that Stanford won, 27-17, from Ohio State. Plunkett then joined the Oakland Raiders in 1978, serving in a reserve capacity over the next two years, throwing no passes in 1978 and just fifteen in 1979. After all, the quarterback Jim Plunkett replaced early last season, Dan Pastorini, made nearly $360,000. He spent 12 years in the NFL, beginning with the Philadelphia 76ers and continuing with the Washington Redskins, Oakland As, and Philadelphia 76ers. Jim was born in San Jose, California, in 1948. Since Jim Plunkett's parents were blind, he worked a lot of his early years cleaning up gas stations. His junior year was even better when he set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786), ranking third nationally in total offense and fifth in passing. A native of San Jose, Calif., Plunkett graduated from Lick High in 1967, where he was a star athlete who competed in football, basketball, baseball, track and wrestling. It was very hard to swallow. Plunkett declined, threatened to transfer and, given a second chance, led Stanford to a Rose Bowl upset of Ohio State to cap his Heisman Trophy-winning senior season. Hearing the story again, Jim Plunkett, the One and Only, smiles and rolls his eyes to his wife's amusement. Plunkett, who had assumed the starting quarterback job as a sophomore, piled up three seasons of record-breaking numbers, all long ago eclipsed by other Stanford players. Plunkett was born to William and Carmella Plunkett (his mother was Mexican, his father was also of Mexican descent) in San Jose Calif. His mother lost her sight when she was 20. In the spring, his daughter, Meghan Plunkett, graduated with a business and marketing degree from Manhattan College in New York, which she attended on a volleyball scholarship. Early Years. Plunkett was also selected first overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. In addition to this, he became the second of four players to win the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP, alongside Roger Staubach, Marcus Allen, and Desmond Howard. A former rhythmic gymnastics powerhouseand current Stanford sophomoreexplains why shes OK with how things turned out. For his career, Plunkett completed 1,943-of-3,701 passes for 25,882 yards with 164 touchdowns and 198 interceptions. That's where he was a leader. CAR 70. Still, he remains active at Stanford, regularly attending events on campus and raising money for athletic scholarships through his annual charity golf tournament. The players liked him. "He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time," said Raiders owner Al Davis. The next year he was, to San Francisco. California and was a high school star there. His father, who was of Irish descent, passed away when Plunkett was just nine years old. With a Super Bowl MVP in hand, Plunkett's comeback season was complete. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. Any time that I didn't do that, I heard about it. ". And then there's family. Jim Plunkett (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/. I do feel somewhat slighted, Plunkett says. But it's not so much a walk as a trudge. The USC game fell halfway into that 1970 season. Tara VanDerveer took the Cardinal from doormat to dynamo and helped boost womens athletics. ''I don't think she would have cared if I had quit, she always was worried about me getting hurt,'' he said. There was a famous juncture at which Stanford head coach John Ralston, an eventual college football Hall of Famer, almost coached Plunkett out of quarterback contention. It's the trudge of 15 surgeries and back pain that makes it difficult for him to stand for more than an hour at a time. He was born into a poor family, and his father was a news vendor who supported his wife and three children by selling news. His mother lives in San Jose with Mary Ann, the younger of his two sisters. I asked to be traded, Plunkett says, and Mr. Davis said no.. Today, he carries the various hurts he has sufferedphysical and emotionalgamely. In the NFL, prospects who were expected to make big waves are frequently busts. September 1st is the final deadline to submit work for the 2022 International Film Festival! But there always seems to be something Stanford-oriented on his schedule, such as a dinner he hosted in September at his home for every quarterback on the Stanford roster. With all the obstacles he went through, Jim never quit. The most prestigious award in college football. What John Sande, '71, the team's center, remembers is a sound. Jim and his sisters learned to work hard and do things for themselves as they grew up. [5][6], Plunkett was born to Mexican-American parents with an Irish-German grandfather on his paternal side. Carmen was born blind as a result of typhoid fever, which occurred when she was 19 years old. Plunkett spent most of the 19841986 seasons either injured or as a backup, and missed the entire 1987 season following rotator cuff surgery. "I'd never known anybody could throw a football so hard it whistled until Jim did it. But Plunkett suffered a left shoulder separation early in the 1975 season, giving rookie Steve Grogan, who would become a fixture with the club for 16 seasons, extensive experience, and under the leadership of coach Chuck Fairbanks, New England's offense became more run-oriented, led by Sam Cunningham. He got his opportunity when starter Dan Pastorini suffered a broken leg against Kansas City. William Plunkett first worked in the Richmond shipyards. Plunkett didn't stop there. He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. Then followed three sensational seasons at Stanford, culminating with the 1970 Heisman Trophy. We took a lot of walks because neither of my parents could drive. He would have been so proud to have been around all that. The 1972 season brought a different look: only eight touchdown passes, 25 interceptions (up from 16 as a rookie), a 3-11 record and many hard knocks. View winning films from the MY HERO International Film Festival! But in a Stanford timeline, the ultimate demarcation is Before Plunkett and After Plunkett. '', His father died at age 56 after Jim Plunkett's sophomore year at Stanford. He even spent two seasons on the bench with the Raiders. It just felt unbelievable to me, Jim said, knowing what I did. Despite the fact that Andrew Lucks dazzling arm elevated the game to a whole new level, the notion that college football was primarily a running game was quickly overturned. In addition, the American College Football Coaches Association designated him as their Offensive Player of the Year. Learn more here. ''My mother had her vision until she was about 20, but then she had an illness, scarlet fever I think it was. General. Plunkett, who did not take a salary but used his newspaper delivery job to supplement his income, played football for the majority of his life. '', During his two years in oblivion, his mother was more concerned about him than his career. They rallied around him and he just rose to the occasion, making big plays in big games.. His parents were blind from the start.
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