He played for the Patriots for four seasons, before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1975. She has high blood pressure. Despite his lack of fame, his contributions will not go unnoticed. 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.. [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. Its a stark contrast to 1980, when Plunkett longed to leave Oakland in hopes of reinvigorating a fading career. "I'm proud of that game," Plunkett said of Oakland's 27-10 victory over Philadelphia. And we've known that we're there for each other.". Playing for the Oakland Raiders, Pastorini broke his shinbone and cartilage in his knee. Jim also had two sisters. ''Even at my age,'' he said with a laugh, ''when I walk in and hug her, she reaches for the top of my head and feels the hair in the back to see if I need a haircut. Two years after that, Pastorinis injury gave Plunkett the opportunity hed long awaited. He was a star quarterback in high school, and went on to play for Stanford University. As he grew up, Jim learned how to be his parent's eyes by helping them cross the street. My mother would tell us kids to take care of our father. With a career total offense of 7,887 yards, including passing for 7,544, Plunkett set an NCAA record. Jim was out of football for two years, before being signed by the Oakland Raiders in 1979. Plunkett didn't stop there. Thirty years ago this week, Plunkett led the Raiders to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. Number of electors: 1264 - Announced: November 24, 1970. Although Plunkett passed for 19 touchdowns and led the Pats to a 7-7 record in 1974, injuries mounted. What made it hard for Jim to grow up? "In 1972 my confidence ran into a stone wall," he said. Aside from the Heisman, he captured the Maxwell Award for the nation's best player and was named player of the year by United Press International, The Sporting News, and SPORT magazine. 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. Despite his strong first two seasons, Plunkett was a long-shot Heisman candidate compared to the other favorites: quarterbacks Archie Manning of Mississippi and Joe Theismann of Notre Dame. What happened to Hart was not unintended. Upon entering Stanford University, Plunkett endured a rough freshman campaign after being weakened by a thyroid operation. Perhaps the most profound expression of the men's continuing devotion occurred during the anguish that overwhelmed them when the Plunketts' 25-year-old son Jimmy died two years ago. '', Jim Plunkett is reminded of that whenever he visits his mother now. [10], When Jim was growing up, the family's financial situation was a big problem for him. ", Plunkett's against-the-odds story drew legions of fans, including some who were only casual football rooters. His father was born legally blind but, with thick enough glasses, could get around, even serving as the cook of the family.
Brothers Where it Mattered Most - Delta Tau Delta I still feel good when I think about it.". America loved the kid. My sisters Genevieve and Mary Ann don't like to tell me that my mother is coming to the game because they know I'll worry that she's all right.''. ", In 2009, Jim, Gerry and their daughter, Meghan, filmed an episode of the TV program Dog Whisperer (scheduled to air in October 2010) featuring the pit bull, Gotti, that had belonged to Jimmy. He is estimated to be worth $10 million, with the majority of his money coming from his NFL career. "I was extremely quiet when I got to Stanford," acknowledges Plunkett. His mind only replays moments; his body replays every minute of damage.
Jim Plunkett Hispanic Heritage 83 OVR - Madden NFL 23 - MUT.GG Bill Parcells was the first Hispanic-American head coach of the NFL, and Tom Flores won two Super Bowl rings. Plunkett made his athletic debut when he was 14 years old, winning a throwing contest with a distance of over 60 yards and demonstrating his potential. Her dad was afraid she'd stay in New York. 3 quarterback, Plunkett didn't play in 1978. 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. The rest of the Stanford cast was anything but ordinary. And in three of the four seasons before Plunkett's emergence, Stanford had gone 5-5. He played for the last time in 1986, his injuries and pain settling the issue. Read our IMPACT:blog to see how teachers, visitors and organizations around the world are using MY HERO to affect positive changes in the world. Its still hard for me to talk about it, Plunkett says during a phone interview, his voice catching. That's where he was a leader. Plunkett grew up in San Jose, California, the son of parents who were Native American and Hispanic. The surgery required to remove a malignant tumor would end his football playing days. Two forgettable seasons with the San Francisco 49ers were followed by two fruitless years with the Raiders, who plucked him from the NFL scrapheap but buried him on the bench. He is the only eligible two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has not been voted in. In 1970, he led Stanford to a 9-3 record and a Rose Bowl appearance against mighty Ohio State. His parents in San Jose were both blind, and his father died his junior year, so Plunkett and his sisters worked to support their mother. Plunkett delivered newspapers and took odd jobs to earn pocket money but still found time for football. The Raiders advanced to Super Bowl XVIII, where they defeated the Washington Redskins, 389. He was also named the nations top football player in addition to winning the Maxwell Award. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. Today, he carries the various hurts he has sufferedphysical and emotionalgamely. (Photo: Courtesy Jim Plunkett), HISTORY LESSON: The memorabilia room in Plunketts home is a reminder of his playing days, as are his knees, replaced a few years ago with titanium and Teflon. draft, things like that.
This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Other quarterbacks who started for two Super Bowl winning teams but are not yet members of the Hall of Fame include Joe Gibbs Washington Redskins (Mark Rypien and Doug Williams), Tom Flores Oakland Raiders (Jim Plunkett), and Warren Moons San Francisco 49ers (Don Maynard). They rallied around him and he just rose to the occasion, making big plays in big games.. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since she was 19 because of typhoid fever. Yasmine Sherif, who leads Education Cannot Wait, a UN-hosted, global fund for education in emergencies. The next season, he threw only 15 passes. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. Jim Plunkett, Class: Induction: 1990 Sport(s): - Position: Quarterback Years: 1968-1970 Place of Birth: Santa Clara, CA Date of Birth: Dec 05, 1947 Jersey . In an effort to aid the family's financial situation, Plunkett worked a series of odd jobs while growing up, including serving as a gas . They came together in Oakland after Plunkett washed out in New England and San Francisco and was contemplating retirement. Moore, a tight end who went on to an eight-year NFL career, talked himself into a one-on-one foot race with Plunkett the summer before their senior season, when players gave up trips home and time off to continue training together. Plunkett received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Roger Staubach in 1981. Plunkett led the Raiders to four playoff victories, including the first-ever victory by a wild card team in the Super Bowl, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 2710 in Super Bowl XV. '', William Plunkett had a news stand in San Jose, Calif., at first in the Post Office building, later in the Unemployment Office. 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. Passing. Since Jim Plunkett's parents were blind, he worked a lot of his early years cleaning up gas stations. He achieved his greatest professional success during his final eight seasons with the Raiders franchise, whom he led to two Super Bowl titles.[1]. Throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns, Plunkett was named the game's MVP; subsequently, Plunkett has the distinction of being the first minority to quarterback a team to a Super Bowl victory and the only Latino to be named Super Bowl MVP. Plunkett showed his talent for tossing the football by winning a throwing contest at the age of 14 with a heave of over 60 yards. 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. Born to blind parents, he worked odd jobs to help support his family as a teen and almost was forced to give up football when a cancerous lump was . He was named the NFLs Comeback Player of the Year in 1981. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. But it's not so much a walk as a trudge. 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. 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. . Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. He retired after undergoing 18 surgical procedures during his playing days. Back-to-back winning seasons had been blemished by key losses, and they were down to their last chance to win a championship. He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. ", I got so many great letters. They also helped Carmen with cooking and other household chores.
Sports of the Times; Jim Plunkett's Blind Parents Carmen was born blind as a result of typhoid fever, which occurred when she was 19 years old. They met while attending the California School for the Blind in Berkeley, and were married in 1934. ''She also went to some of the Stanford games in Palo Alto,'' he said. And suddenly, from near-oblivion, a rise again to the top as 1981 Super Bowl MVP. I never wanted to worry them unnecessarily. He was a good student and an excellent athlete. Oklahoma's Chuck Fairbanks replaced John Mazur as Patriots coach in 1973 and installed an offense that had Plunkett running some option plays and continuing to take a beating. His successful junior campaign saw him set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786). Stanford, CA 94305-6105. Click here to donate. Physically and mentally, I was not in the best shape. But sometimes I'd forget. Plunkett's parents were both born in New Mexico, both Mexican Americans; his mother, whose maiden name was Carmen Blea, was born in Santa . "We came so close to making an unbelievably catastrophic decision. This display of offensive firepower led Washington State coach Jim Sweeney to call Plunkett "The best college football player I've ever seen." Jack and Aletha were determined to give Jim a normal life, and he attended public schools and played sports. The players liked him. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. 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. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. As a result, he is revered not only for his achievements at Stanford, but also for his humility and loyalty from the start. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. The press made much of his personal story. Last Update: May 30, 2022. He's a good guy.". 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.
1981 Topps Jim Plunkett | PSA CardFacts Once in the press box, he growls "lousy" when asked how he's feeling. 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. [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. Browse, share, and add to our enormous collection of inspiring hero films. RUN 80. Two weeks later, Stanford beat UCLA for the first time in eight years. ''So if I had quit, she probably would have liked that. 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. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Plunkett was selected by the New England Patriots as the number one overall draft choice in 1971. He didn't play well for the freshman team, and when his performance didn't improve the next spring, coach John Ralston suggested a switch to defensive end. '', During his two years in oblivion, his mother was more concerned about him than his career. He's as tough a guy as I've ever met. The NFL's Comeback Player of the Year then But I have a terrible back and my left shoulder really doesnt work too well.. Stanford University. While working as a news vendor, his father, William, was legally blind. ''If they wanted to go somewhere, they went. In college, however, Jim won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to the Rose bowl. "We socialize together, we do business together, and we tell lies together about how great we used to be.". After two seasons in oblivion, the 32-year-old quarterback took the Oakland Raiders to Super Bowl XV and was selected as the most valuable player in their 27-10 triumph. His parents were both blind. SPD 74. ''I tell people that one of the things that always annoyed my parents was having others thinking they were handicapped. He even spent two seasons on the bench with the Raiders. Jim Plunketts story is told in a film, and its a fascinating look at American football history. He holds the Raider record, and is tied for the league record, for the longest career pass, which occurred during a 99-yard pass play against the Washington Redskins on October 2, 1983.
The Remarkable Story Of Jim Plunkett: From Police Officer's Son To In the family's home, one room is dedicated to Plunkett's accomplishments. But none of it came easily. Jim Plunkett was the 1970 Heisman Trophy winner at Stanford and led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories in the 1980s.
Jim Plunkett - Heisman We took a lot of walks because neither of my parents could drive. He played quarterback on the schools football team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1965 North Coast Section championship game. By their senior season in 1970, the insecurities that had pulled them all together had matured into a deep bond, stoked by stubborn dreams and maddening frustration. After returning to the backup role in 1983, Plunkett again assumed starting duties, this time after an injury to Marc Wilson. He is an inspiration to all who know him. Jim Plunkett arrived with other young playersJack Lasater, Bob Moore, Jack Schultzwho, like him, felt the pangs of being an outsider. Ball Carrier. Before family and friends in Northern California, Plunkett had two inconsistent years with the 49ers and then was released before the 1978 season. He received several accolades during his career, including the only Heisman Trophy (1970) in school history. [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.
Unfortunately, Jims father died in 1969 when Jim was 21. Wanting to stay closer to home to help look after his parents, Plunkett decided to attend Stanford University. I was supposed to make my bed, but if I didn't, she'd walk in and feel the bed to see if I had. [13] The Patriots finished the season at 68 for fourth place in the AFC East. . That game is credited with returning the Stanford football program to prominence, and Plunkett's performance helped established a template for what soon became a college football staple: offenses dedicated to passing the ball. The First Deaf Player In The NHL: Jim Kyte. Jim Plunkett is the story of a three-year NFL career that was filled with busts. Jim attended James Lick High School in East San Jose, California.He won the Heisman Trophy in 1970 as quarterback for Stanford University. 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. 1 pick in the 1971 draft. He was the starting quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal from 1968 to 1970. His parents were blind from the start. ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He. He is the only eligible quarterback with two Super Bowl wins as a starter not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jim Plunkett - Wikipedia (Photo: Timothy Archibald), BAND OF BROTHERS: With Jack Lasater, Randy Vataha, Bob Murphy and Jack Schultz.