jim plunkett parents blind

The defense included linebacker Jeff Siemon, '72, and tackle Pete Lazetich, '72, who became first-team All-Americans the following season and helped lead Stanford back to the Rose Bowl. Had they insisted on it, the number of Heisman Trophy winners at Stanford would still be zero. [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. Thirty years ago this week, Plunkett led the Raiders to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. Also Read: Mike Golic Our gallery features art in the theme of heroism. "We didn't want to live through that again.". Two years after that, Pastorinis injury gave Plunkett the opportunity hed long awaited. His parents were both blind. Three seasons later, he did it again, helping the relocated-to-Los Angeles Raiders defeat the Washington Redskins for the title. Plunkett capped his college career by leading Stanford to a 27-17 victory over undefeated No. He was a quarterback, although the coaches weren't so sure he should be. But when I wanted to keep playing, she understood that, too. The 32-year-old Plunkett came off the bench to relieve Pastorini, throwing five interceptions in a 3117 loss. He retired as the only NFL quarterback to win two Super Bowls with the same franchise in different cities, winning his first while the Raiders were in Oakland and his second while they were in Los Angeles. 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. 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. Jim made great contributions to professional football because he helped the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl. "Some of it has been wonderful and some of it has been absolutely horrific. 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 is the only eligible quarterback with two Super Bowl wins as a starter not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [7] Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. Nothing got draped over the Heisman. Professionally created material to help you get started in hero film making! As he grew up, Jim learned how to be his parent's "eyes" by helping them cross the street. "I'd never been in a losing situation before.". Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center 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. '', Jim Plunkett is reminded of that whenever he visits his mother now. 1 choice in the N.F.L. He played for the 49ers for two seasons, before being released in 1977. 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. Jim Plunkett played 15 NFL seasons, but his eight years with the Raiders defined his career. "Many people felt I was washed up, and I wasn't sure they were wrong. 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. He never let go of his dream. draft, things like that. And the people who grew close to him 40 years ago are the same ones who are closest to him today: a circle of love and mutual support that owes its origins to a team and a time that shaped Jim Plunkett's life, and those of many others. Even Plunkett's buddies underestimated him occasionally. Stanford University. While at Stanford he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. AGI 74. During his five seasons with the Pats, he was 23-38, completed 48.5% of his passes, threw 62 touchdown passes, and had 87 interception returns. SAC 81. 1 pick in the 1971 draft. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. [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. No rushing or total offense stats currently available for Plunkett. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. In the NFL, prospects who were expected to make big waves are frequently busts. My father wouldn't let my mother cook. 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. "The show became kind of a tribute to him.". As a sophomore, 1968, he passed for 2,156 yards, a record in what was then the Pac-8 Conference. 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. He is a role model for never giving up. 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They also helped Carmen with cooking and other household chores. But Plunkett had a huge senior year, passing for 2,715 yards and 19 touchdowns as upstart Stanford won the Pac-8 title. However, the tumor turned out to be benign and Plunkett was given a clean bill of health. Knee and shoulder surgeries became almost commonplace, and after a season of limited play in 1975, he asked to be traded. Jim and his sisters learned to work hard and do things for themselves as they grew up. He would have been so proud to have been around all that. 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. When the Heisman vote was announced, Plunkett won by a wide margin. I remember them saying that they weren't handicapped, that they could do just about anything except see. His parents were blind from the start. Plunkett, the most celebrated player in Stanford history, won his school's first Heisman after leading the Indians to an 8-3 record and a Rose Bowl berth. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. 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. He had some natural shyness, plus an unconventionally low-key approach to taking charge. 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. He got his opportunity when starter Dan Pastorini suffered a broken leg against Kansas City. As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. Jim Plunkett wanted out, but Al Davis balked. Plunkett, the most celebrated player in Stanford history, won his schools first Heisman after leading the Indians to an 8-3 record and a Rose Bowl berth. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft and went on to have a successful career in the league. Jim Plunkett was the 1970 Heisman Trophy winner at Stanford and led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories in the 1980s. That goes to show that Jim Plunkett never ever gave up, even after everybody else did. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. Jim attended James Lick High School in East San Jose, California.He won the Heisman Trophy in 1970 as quarterback for Stanford University. Despite this, Hart has largely been overlooked, despite his role in the Raiders organization. Early Years. ''She also went to some of the Stanford games in Palo Alto,'' he said. "I was extremely quiet when I got to Stanford," acknowledges Plunkett. 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 . [13] The Patriots finished the season at 68 for fourth place in the AFC East. STR 59. Jim Plunkett arrived with other young playersJack Lasater, Bob Moore, Jack Schultzwho, like him, felt the pangs of being an outsider. He grew up in a poor family and his parent's financial condition was extremely weak, his father was a news vendor who had to support his blind wife along with his three children. Tara VanDerveer took the Cardinal from doormat to dynamo and helped boost womens athletics. Last Update: May 30, 2022. My mother would tell us kids to take care of our father. "We've all tasted what life has to deliver," says Schultz. Teammates never doubted who was in command if they didn't do their jobs. Jim Plunkett (born James William Plunkett, Jr. on December 5, 1947) was a U.S. football player. 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. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. William Plunkett first worked in the Richmond shipyards. In his high school years, he worked during the summer.[11]. He was also named the nations top football player in addition to winning the Maxwell Award. ", Plunkett, shy and modest, took a different view: "I wanted the Heisman, but my whole life wasn't centered on it.". 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. A doctor discovered a thyroid tumor, which nearly ended his college career. It had been anything but a happy Bay Area homecoming for the rifle-armed quarterback who first gained widespread notice at San Jose James Lick High. He was able to throw for 2,395 yards and 20 touchdown passes in his best season in 1983, and he threw 18 intercepted passes that year. His parents were both blind. He played for the New England patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders in addition to the 49ers. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. "We socialize together, we do business together, and we tell lies together about how great we used to be.". Jim Plunketts parents, Jack and Aletha, were both blind. As the No. 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. Plunkett was also selected first overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. Success as a California high school quarterback was followed by an unsteady start in college, a beginning in which his coach almost took the ball from his hands. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. Jim Plunkett is my hero because he inspires me to never give up. What John Sande, '71, the team's center, remembers is a sound. 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. I still feel good when I think about it.". 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. (optional), What is a news vendor? Carmen was born blind as a result of typhoid fever, which occurred when she was 19 years old. "Bob [Moore] and Jack Schultz came to our house every day," Gerry Plunkett recalls. It seems to me that Jim has a lot of courage because he played even when he was injured or in pain. The next year he was, to San Francisco. And then there's family. He was traded in 1976 to the 49ers, and in 1980, joined the Oakland Raiders and quarterbacked them to two Super Bowl wins in 1980 and 1983, and was named the MVP of the 1980 match-up. Today, he carries the various hurts he has sufferedphysical and emotionalgamely. "I don't know where I would have gone," Plunkett says, "but I would have transferred. Jim Plunkett - Biography Biography Plunkett was born to Mexican American parents with an Irish-German great-grandfather on his paternal side. "We're as close as any group of guys can be," says Plunkett. 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. It proved to be one of the most astute decisions made by the Raiders oft-criticized owner. Whenever we went on a trip, we usually took a bus. MAC 76. Health Scare Nearly Ends Plunkett's College Career Jims son jumped from a high-rise apartment building four years ago while suffering from severe manic depression. Completing 13-of-21 passes and three scoring strikes, two to Cliff Branch and an 80-yarder to Kenny King, he accounted for all of Oakland's touchdowns in the 27-10 victory. The most celebrated player in Stanford football history came from just down the road, and a world away. '', See the article in its original context from. Physically and mentally, I was not in the best shape. James William "Jim" Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is a former American football quarterback who played college football . ''During those two years when I didn't play, it was tough for me,'' he said, ''but I was able to put it in perspective.'' Plunkett was born to Mexican American parents with an Irish-German great-grandfather on his paternal side. A few examples include players who were considered busts but rebounded to make their mark on the game. In spite of never being selected to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, and everything the Ravens have done pre-raid, his tenure has been worthwhile. Plunkett's Stanford career nearly ended before it began. [4] In 1983, Plunkett again ascended from backup to starter to quarterback the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. After that, she was totally blind. 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 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. He led the team to a Pac-8 Conference championship and a berth in the 1971 Rose Bowl. View winning films from the MY HERO International Film Festival! Plunkett threw for 2,935 yards, 20 touchdown passes, and 18 picks in that season. 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. "I'm proud of that game," Plunkett said of Oakland's 27-10 victory over Philadelphia. "We came so close to making an unbelievably catastrophic decision. I asked to be traded, Plunkett says, and Mr. Davis said no.. After having both knees replaced a few years ago, he says, Im in less pain. Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. He gives of his time, his energy, his money, and he's got a genuine humility. They met at a school for the blind in San Jose where my mother was learning Braille. For years he has opened the guesthouse at his Atherton home to Stanford athletes ex-quarterback Tavita Pritchard, '10, is the current resident. The year of practice and no play helped Plunkett. Plunkett, 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, rejected the idea, and Ralston redshirted him in 1967. Together they won Super Bowl XV, when Flores became the first minority . Playing for the Oakland Raiders, Pastorini broke his shinbone and cartilage in his knee. Once he arrived at the school, he played quarterback and defensive end for the football team. Watch our short introduction video for more information. 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.. Plunkett's first game was a 206 victory over the Oakland Raiders, the Patriots' first regular-season contest at Schaefer Stadium. 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. When Jim was eight years old, his father died of a heart attack. Jim Plunkett is a remarkable man who has overcome many obstacles in his life.

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