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. And our father would tell us to take care of our mother. Plunkett was also selected first overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. I like that. Physically and mentally, I was not in the best shape. After that, she was totally blind. Click here to donate. 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. With a Super Bowl MVP in hand, Plunkett's comeback season was complete. He played in two Super Bowls and was named Most Valuable Player in Super Bowl XV. Stanford went 22-8-2 in his three years, and he said his best game was a 27-17 victory over Ohio . Fortunately, he says, I was able to take advantage.. He did not like the area he lived in, often did not have money for dates, and avoided bringing friends to his house. Teammates never doubted who was in command if they didn't do their jobs. 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. The tumor turned out to be benign, but Plunkett has never forgotten the generosity shown by Rust. He's as tough a guy as I've ever met. Learn more here. He played for the 49ers for two seasons, before being released in 1977. He didn't want her to get burned on the stove.''. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. She always knew. He was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1990. ''I want to make the most of my situation,'' Jim Plunkett was saying now, alluding to his potential income from motion pictures, books, commercials, endorsements and corporate sponsors, ''but without compromising my integrity and dignity. They were from poor or middle-class families, and they wondered how they would ever fit in at a university swarming with well-heeled classmates. Before family and friends in Northern California, Plunkett had two inconsistent years with the 49ers and then was released before the 1978 season. "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. Two weeks before the Patriots defeated the Colts, Plunkett engineered a 3413 victory over the Dolphins. After returning to the backup role in 1983, Plunkett again assumed starting duties, this time after an injury to Marc Wilson. Five mostly difficult seasons in New England followed, preceding a trade to the 49ers and, in 1978, Plunketts outright release. He was regarded as a bust after being released by the 49ers in 2010. Sometimes the measure of a hero isnt that he did something amazing, but that he inspires many people. 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 Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Roger Staubach in 1981. William Plunkett ran a newsstand in San Jose, but struggled to care for his wife . His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. 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. This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. The High Unemployment Rate Among Deaf People In Burundi. He wasnt selected to the Pro Bowl, never made the All-Pro team, and completed less than half of his passes. DAC 79. . With eighteen passing and three rushing touchdowns added to his 2,715 passing yards on the year (which broke his own conference record), Plunkett was awarded the 1970 Heisman Trophy. Rust, now 82, remembers making that promise impulsively, confident that Stanford would back him up. Plunkett completed 16 of 25 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown in the game. If Plunkett was a leading passer, he was also a sentimental favorite. Jim Plunkett was born in San Jose, California, to parents of Native American and Hispanic descent. My father, and later on my sisters, prepared most of the meals. Then followed three sensational seasons at Stanford, culminating with the 1970 Heisman Trophy. An outstanding rookie year in the NFL with the New England Patriots preceded numerous injuries and a drift to the ranks of the ordinary. He was the youngest of three children and his parents divorced when he was just a toddler. But she might have. In exchange for Ken Stabler, Jim Pastorini was traded by the Oakland Raiders to the Houston Astros. Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. . ''My mother had her vision until she was about 20, but then she had an illness, scarlet fever I think it was. While at Stanford he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. I remember my father always told me to come straight home after school. He played for the New England patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders in addition to the 49ers. 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. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. draft, things like that. After surgery, Plunkett resumed playing too quickly and performed so poorly on the freshman team that then-Stanford coach John Ralston asked him to switch to defensive end. 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. 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. [1][18] Similar debates occurred in relation to Ken Stabler, another Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Raiders, who missed being elected into the Hall for 25 years before being elected posthumously in 2016. He competed in basketball, baseball, track and wrestling - earning a California High School Individual Wrestling Championship. He was a member of the National Football Leagues Atlanta Falcons for 16 seasons. He had some natural shyness, plus an unconventionally low-key approach to taking charge. SPD 74. . Jim Plunkett was born in San Francisco, California on December 5th, 1947. '', Jim Plunkett works for the Peninsula Center for the Blind in the San Jose area. They came together in Oakland after Plunkett washed out in New England and San Francisco and was contemplating retirement. In his first game as a starter, he completed eleven of fourteen passes with a touchdown and no interceptions. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. Rust didn't hesitate: We will honor your scholarship, he said. Rallying the Raiders from a 2-3 start, he capped his comeback season by passing for three touchdowns in a most-valuable-player performance in the Super Bowl. James William Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons. They were too busy taking care of my sisters and me. His mother then took a job as a bank teller to support the family. Anyone can read what you share. Jim Plunkett is the first Latino to win the prestigious award. 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. In addition, the American College Football Coaches Association designated him as their Offensive Player of the Year. ", Plunkett, shy and modest, took a different view: "I wanted the Heisman, but my whole life wasn't centered on it.". Randy Vataha had the same misgivings when he transferred in as a junior. "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.". However, five weeks into the 1980 season, his career took a major turn when starting QB Dan Pastorini fractured his leg in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He is estimated to be worth $10 million, with the majority of his money coming from his NFL career. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Jim attended James Lick High School in East San Jose, California.He won the Heisman Trophy in 1970 as quarterback for Stanford University. 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. America loved the kid. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. Ever since then, her doctor hasn't wanted her to fly. Plunkett beat Notre Dame's Joe Theismann and Archie Manning of Ole Miss to win the award. ", In addition to mustering his physical skills, Plunkett had to change the coaches' perception of what a leader was. In his senior year, 1970, he led Stanford to a conference championship and their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1952, a game that ended with a 2717 Stanford victory over the heavily favored Ohio State Buckeyes. 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. The NFL's Comeback Player of the Year then He retired after undergoing 18 surgical procedures during his playing days. He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. 1 Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl. He earned the opportunity to start in 1968, and in his first game, completed ten of thirteen passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns, and never relinquished his hold on the starting spot. Jim Plunkett was the 1970 Heisman Trophy winner at Stanford and led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories in the 1980s. "You got the look from Jim," recalls Vataha, a wide receiver, "and the look was not comfortable. Help us celebrate the best of humanity, we need your support! [4] In 1983, Plunkett again ascended from backup to starter to quarterback the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. He was a hard-knocks kid from San Jose, a Mexican-American with an Irish surname, who gravitated to Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. I do feel somewhat slighted, Plunkett says. 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. Plunkett delivered newspapers and took odd jobs to earn pocket money but still found time for football. (Photo: Bettmann/Corbis), THE HOME TEAM: Gerry and Meghan with Jim at their Atherton residence. "When I found out I'd finished second to Jim," said Theismann in 1984, "I was genuinely crushed. The most celebrated player in Stanford football history came from just down the road, and a world away. For years he has opened the guesthouse at his Atherton home to Stanford athletes ex-quarterback Tavita Pritchard, '10, is the current resident. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, released two seasons later, then signed by the Raiders. He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. Slow to recover from the surgery on his neck, Plunkett didn't impress anybody during spring practice at the end of his freshman year. Jims son jumped from a high-rise apartment building four years ago while suffering from severe manic depression. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. ''She also went to some of the Stanford games in Palo Alto,'' he said. His father was a police officer and his mother was a homemaker. 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. His successful junior campaign saw him set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786). ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He could see a little bit. That year he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XV, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. Wanting to stay near home and attend a university with strong academics, Plunkett selected Stanford over California, in part because the radical political environment in Berkeley could be hard on athletes. ''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.'' September 1st is the final deadline to submit work for the 2022 International Film Festival! [10], When Jim was growing up, the family's financial situation was a big problem for him. And if I left some clothes on the floor, she would step on them and find out. The players liked him. He worked from an early age, cleaning up at a gas station while in elementary school, delivering newspapers, bagging groceries, and working in orchards. Sports of the Times; Jim Plunkett's Blind Parents, https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/01/sports/sports-of-the-times-jim-plunkett-s-blind-parents.html. LATE RALLY: After struggling early in his NFL career, Plunkett led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories in the 1980s. His parents were blind from the start. Jack and Aletha were determined to give Jim a normal life, and he attended public schools and played sports. Jim Plunkett was instrumental in the Oakland Raiders winning Super Bowl titles in 1980 and 1983. He played for the last time in 1986, his injuries and pain settling the issue. 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. 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 found in his neck during a physical examination before his freshman year at Stanford. Plunkett is on the Hall of Fame wall at James Lick. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. Nothing got draped over the Heisman. Plunkett also carries innumerable physical scars from his playing days. At 30, Plunkett considered quitting, but two weeks later the Raiders' Davis signed him to a three-year contract for a total of $465,000.