"Some of it has been wonderful and some of it has been absolutely horrific. James William "Jim" Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is a former American football quarterback who played college football . His mother, Carmen, was sightless since . ''I don't think she would have cared if I had quit, she always was worried about me getting hurt,'' he said. Plunkett beat Notre Dame's Joe Theismann and Archie Manning of Ole Miss to win the award. It took a lot of courage to get there. ''My parents were very stubborn,'' he said. This display of offensive firepower led Washington State coach Jim Sweeney to call Plunkett "The best college football player I've ever seen." View winning films from the MY HERO International Film Festival! ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He. Also Read: Mike Golic He got his opportunity when starter Dan Pastorini suffered a broken leg against Kansas City. Ken Stabler won one Super Bowl championship as Ken Stabler played Sloth in The Goonies. John Matuszak portrayed him in the film. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. However, the tumor turned out to be benign and Plunkett was given a clean bill of health. He led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981. "I said iconic," notes Harbaugh, "but he lives it with such little fanfare. The opponent: undefeated and heavily favored Ohio State. 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. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. 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. He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. He did radio and television interviews after retiring from football, as well as weekly highlights shows on television, following his playing days. He grew up in Santa Clara before the family sought less-expensive housing in San Jose. He even spent two seasons on the bench with the Raiders. He then capped his collegiate career by leading Stanford to a 27-17 upset of unbeaten Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl, completing 20-of-30 passes for 265 yards and one touchdown. After all, the quarterback Jim Plunkett replaced early last season, Dan Pastorini, made nearly $360,000. Were jim plunkett's parents blind? Explained by FAQ Blog Jim Plunkett is the story of a three-year NFL career that was filled with busts. Sign-up for our newsletter to inspire your inbox. He was also named the nations top football player in addition to winning the Maxwell Award. The next year he was, to San Francisco. Jim Plunkett Jeopardy Template Browse, share, and add to our enormous collection of inspiring hero films. Her dad was afraid she'd stay in New York. As the No. He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. In 1968, he threw for 14 touchdowns and set a Pac-8 record with 2,156 yards passing. 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 . I didn't do things to put them out, though. Jim Plunkett's road to Super Bowl champion wasn't always smooth "I'd never been in a losing situation before.". He wasnt selected to the Pro Bowl, never made the All-Pro team, and completed less than half of his passes. Were jim plunkett's parents blind? - askingforanswer.com I still feel good when I think about it.". Haz clic aqu para leer la historia sobre Jim Plunkett en espaol. 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. They were too busy taking care of my sisters and me. When the San Francisco 49ers released Jim Plunkett in 1978, he was stubborn enough to believe that he could still be a useful quarterback somewhere. [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. He's as tough a guy as I've ever met. Click here to donate. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. ". RUN 80. Jim and his sisters learned to work hard and do things for themselves as they grew up. In 1970, he led Stanford to a 9-3 record and a Rose Bowl appearance against mighty Ohio State. His parents were blind from the start. Enter the 2022 MY Hero Songwriting/Music Video Contest! . 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. AGI 74. Jim Plunkett was born in San Jose, California, to parents of Native American and Hispanic descent. DAC 79. 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. ''My sisters would bring a radio so she could listen to what was happening. In the family's home, one room is dedicated to Plunkett's accomplishments. Jim Plunkett is a remarkable man who has overcome many obstacles in his life. The 1971 Rose Bowl is regarded as the period when Stanford football returned to prominence. (Photo: Timothy Archibald), BAND OF BROTHERS: With Jack Lasater, Randy Vataha, Bob Murphy and Jack Schultz. What made it hard for Jim to grow up? Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. Jim made great contributions to professional football because he helped the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl. Jim was born in 1946, and was their only child. 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. He was a member of the National Football Leagues Atlanta Falcons for 16 seasons. Fortunately, he says, I was able to take advantage.. Plunkett is on the Hall of Fame wall at James Lick. They also helped Carmen with cooking and other household chores. 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. But he taught us a new meaning to the word temperament as we rode his success. He will always be remembered as one of the Silver and Blacks best players, and his exploits in the teams past will live on after his playing days are over. 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. Still, he remains active at Stanford, regularly attending events on campus and raising money for athletic scholarships through his annual charity golf tournament. Friends and family, meanwhile, wonder why the Pro Football Hall of Fame has snubbed him. ''She also went to some of the Stanford games in Palo Alto,'' he said. [20], Interviewed in 2017, Plunkett told of being in "constant pain" and discussed the effects of at least ten career concussions. Stanford went 22-8-2 in his three years, and he said his best . Jim Plunkett | MY HERO I took a tough road to get where I finally got.. 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, 74, was a former American football quarterback who played for the Philadelphia Packers and the Houston Texans. Geez, you'd think that we could have seen pretty quickly that he could throw the ball.". Jims parents also gave him a fighting spirit because even though they were blind, they didnt want to be treated any differently than anyone else. Randy Vataha had the same misgivings when he transferred in as a junior. Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. 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. It hasn't all been laughs. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Jim Plunkett is the only NFL quarterback to win Super Bowls with the same team in both Oakland and Los Angeles (with the same team in both cities). Jim Plunkett | American Football Wiki | Fandom 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. Health Scare Nearly Ends Plunkett's College Career What happened to Hart was not unintended. He didn't want her to get burned on the stove.''. Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. 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. 1973 Topps Jim Plunkett | PSA CardFacts They came together in Oakland after Plunkett washed out in New England and San Francisco and was contemplating retirement. Before family and friends in Northern California, Plunkett had two inconsistent years with the 49ers and then was released before the 1978 season. But more than most athletes, he understands perspective. During training camp in 1980, Plunkett asked to be traded because he expected to have virtually no playing time again. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders for 1978. "Bob [Moore] and Jack Schultz came to our house every day," Gerry Plunkett recalls. Plunkett guided Oakland to nine victories in eleven games and a playoff berth as a wild card. ''She always wanted to know what the trees and the hills looked like. UCLA coach Tommy Prothro had called Plunkett the "best pro quarterback prospect I've ever seen", echoing Sweeney's words from the year prior. [17] The arguments against his induction center on Plunkett having only three winning seasons, unimpressive career statistics, and no Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections. 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. Whenever we went on a trip, we usually took a bus. "Years of getting my butt kicked," Plunkett says. Rust's mother had gone blind, and he related so strongly to the Plunkett family's closeness that he had moved beyond any concern about what Plunkett could contribute to Stanford. Plunkett received the Voit Trophy in both 1969 and 1970. That year he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XV, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. My mother would tell us kids to take care of our father. In the 1984 Super Bowl, Plunkett passed for 172 yards and one touchdown in the Raiders' 38-9 rout of Washington, to that point the biggest Super Bowl victory margin. Jim Plunkett was born in San Francisco, California, on December 5, 1947. He was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1990. "We'd all gone to public schools instead of prep schools, and none of us had a lump of cash in our pocket," Lasater recalls. 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. As a sophomore, 1968, he passed for 2,156 yards, a record in what was then the Pac-8 Conference. 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. "He was on my shoulder the whole time," Moore recalls. Any time that I didn't do that, I heard about it. His parents were poor and blind, but they were very proud. ''I know my mother didn't make the trip to New Orleans for the Super Bowl because she doesn't fly anymore,'' he said. 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. Jim Plunkett - Biography Biography Plunkett was born to Mexican American parents with an Irish-German great-grandfather on his paternal side. Ball Carrier. Only his family means more, and even in that context, there is a special rapport. Initially serving as a backup for the Raiders, Plunkett became the starting quarterback during the 1980 season and led them to win Super Bowl XV, where he was named MVP. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. Plunkett's pro career started promisingly after the New England Patriots made him the No. Was it that his parents were blind or they were deaf?, Jim threw a football 60 yards in his first ever competition. From the Americans WhoTell the Truth portrait series. 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. He retired after undergoing 18 surgical procedures during his playing days. He did not like the area he lived in, often did not have money for dates, and avoided bringing friends to his house. 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. They delighted last summer in the wedding of their daughter, Meghan, but theyre still mourning the loss of their son, James Jr., who was 25 when he died in November 2008. 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. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. No rushing or total offense stats currently available for Plunkett. He was sacked six times in one game at Pittsburgh, on his way to 97 sacks over three seasons (1972-74). '', His mother is of Mexican heritage, his father was a mixture of German, Irish and Mexican. After having both knees replaced a few years ago, he says, Im in less pain. 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. Plunkett was also selected first overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. I know life goes on but its been devastating. The answer is no. It was the low point in my career really hard to take, he says of the 49ers move. I like that. His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. 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They met at a school for the blind in San Jose where my mother was learning Braille. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. He is the only eligible two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has not been voted in. Jim Plunkett played 15 NFL seasons, but his eight years with the Raiders defined his career. Plunkett, who on November 24 had been named the winner of the Heisman Trophy, directed a fourth-quarter comeback for an electrifying 27-17 upset over the Buckeyes. They are a permanent set: Plunk, Red, B.M., Schultzie and Rabbit. Plunkett was born December 5, 1947 in Santa Clara, California and was a high school star there. Jim Plunkett (1990) - Hall of Fame - National Football Foundation He set a new Pacific 8 record with 2,156 yards passing and 14 touchdown passes in his first season as a Stanford quarterback. Jim Plunkett arrived with other young playersJack Lasater, Bob Moore, Jack Schultzwho, like him, felt the pangs of being an outsider. Tom Flores, then the Raiders coach, was not surprised. September 1st is the final deadline to submit work for the 2022 International Film Festival! I asked to be traded, Plunkett says, and Mr. Davis said no.. Ever since then, her doctor hasn't wanted her to fly. Then followed three sensational seasons at Stanford, culminating with the 1970 Heisman Trophy. His upbringing was difficult as both his parents, William and Carmen, were blind. ", Plunkett, shy and modest, took a different view: "I wanted the Heisman, but my whole life wasn't centered on it.". 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. He's still connected to the Raiders. Thirty years ago this week, Plunkett led the Raiders to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XV. His net yards passing and most yards total offense were NCAA records at the time.
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