Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. 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. Download our Annual Report for more detailed information about our daily operations. [10], When Jim was growing up, the family's financial situation was a big problem for him. Plunkett is on the Hall of Fame wall at James Lick. Jim made great contributions to professional football because he helped the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl. And he ended up an emblem of individual and shared achievement on a team that's linked forever by one revered season. These days, Plunkett and wife Gerry still live in the Bay Area, in Atherton, about a five-minute drive from Stanford. '', That's not always easy when the hucksters move in. His father, who was of Irish descent, passed away when Plunkett was just nine years old. 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). William Plunkett first worked in the Richmond shipyards. 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. 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. They came together in Oakland after Plunkett washed out in New England and San Francisco and was contemplating retirement. View winning films from the MY HERO International Film Festival! Our gallery features art in the theme of heroism. "He was on my shoulder the whole time," Moore recalls. What made it hard for Jim to grow up? The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. 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. "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.". "They'd never faced a passing team such as ours," he said. "He gutted out that entire run. TUP 83. 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. . However, the tumor turned out to be benign and Plunkett was given a clean bill of health. In his high school years, he worked during the summer.[11]. His career began as a backup to Plunkett but he was never able to establish himself as a starter. It was very hard to swallow. Life, it seems, has been a struggle for Plunkett. 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. Submit your film TODAY!! The First Deaf Player In The NHL: Jim Kyte. They met while attending the California School for the Blind in Berkeley, and were married in 1934. RUN 80. . He did radio and television interviews after retiring from football, as well as weekly highlights shows on television, following his playing days. His parents were poor and blind, but they were very proud. 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. 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. 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. Plunkett led the 49ers to a 61 start before faltering to an 86 record. [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's parents, Jack and Aletha, were both blind. Despite this, Hart has largely been overlooked, despite his role in the Raiders organization. Jim Plunkett was instrumental in the Oakland Raiders winning Super Bowl titles in 1980 and 1983. Jim Plunketts parents, Jack and Aletha, were both blind. Surgery for a benign tumor in his neck in August 1966 slowed him physically and academically during his first year at Stanford. And if I left some clothes on the floor, she would step on them and find out. draft, things like that. 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. The next season, he threw only 15 passes. 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. Davis denied his trade request, Plunkett says, because he wanted the veteran available in case of emergency. Plunkett's father was a news vendor afflicted with progressive blindness, who had to support his blind wife along with their three children. 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. Number of electors: 1264 - Announced: November 24, 1970. Some of them said my story gave them a new sense of purpose in life. 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. (Photo: Timothy Archibald). Randy Vataha had the same misgivings when he transferred in as a junior. 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 was born in San Jose, California, in 1948. He is estimated to be worth $10 million, with the majority of his money coming from his NFL career. Jim Plunketts nomination to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is fraught with controversy. That year he was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XV, and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. During the NFL season, Plunkett co-hosts the team's weekly TV program, The Silver and Black Show, and he sits with owner Al Davis during games. . Plunkett, 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, rejected the idea, and Ralston redshirted him in 1967. At this time, Heisman voters are spread out across five regions. 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. Early Years. 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. Andrew Luck is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time in college football. In exchange for Ken Stabler, Jim Pastorini was traded by the Oakland Raiders to the Houston Astros. Jim Plunkett is a remarkable man who has overcome many obstacles in his life. After that, she was totally blind. Jim Plunkett wanted out, but Al Davis balked. Jim Plunkett, on the other hand, is well known as one of the most absent Raider. While Jim Plunketts story is a well-known one, he is not a Hall of Fame quarterback; he is considered an unlikely figure in the movie industry. Had they insisted on it, the number of Heisman Trophy winners at Stanford would still be zero. 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. From the Americans WhoTell the Truth portrait series. Jim Plunkett - Biography Biography Plunkett was born to Mexican American parents with an Irish-German great-grandfather on his paternal side. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. . And we've known that we're there for each other.". With a Super Bowl MVP in hand, Plunkett's comeback season was complete. 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. Stanford, CA 94305-6105. What was Jim Plunkett childhood like? The once-reticent Plunkett does Raiders postgame radio interviews and a weekly TV highlights show and gives corporate speeches. The nice thing now is that with the money I'm making, she has no financial problems. 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. 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). "I wasn't an in-your-face guy." Click here to donate. Plunkett reflected that his life "sucks" as a result of his physical injuries. 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. Our type of system was almost perfect for Jim, Flores says. [9], The Plunketts moved to California during World War II. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested! Haz clic aqu para leer la historia sobre Jim Plunkett en espaol. Jim and his sisters learned to work hard and do things for themselves as they grew up. His final seasons in a backup role included the Green Bay Packers team that won Super Bowl XXXI. Plunkett also carries innumerable physical scars from his playing days. ''She also went to some of the Stanford games in Palo Alto,'' he said. Geez, you'd think that we could have seen pretty quickly that he could throw the ball.". LATE RALLY: After struggling early in his NFL career, Plunkett led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories in the 1980s. Harbaugh, who has a reverence for football tradition, is emphatic about Plunkett's identity now. But she might have. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius, and his ethnicity is white, making him an American by nationality. For example, he once damaged his shoulder, but he kept on playing. Several worthy Raiders, including Daryl Lamonica, Cliff Branch, and Lester Hayes, are no longer present in Canton, Ohio. But he's quick to turn conversations into the kind of comedic sparring he perfected in locker rooms. He is an inspiration to all who know him. "I'm 10 years older than you," says a sportswriter celebrating his 72nd birthday. 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. Four hours before a Raiders preseason game in Oakland, Plunkett can walk in relative anonymity through the smattering of fans near the stadium's press entrance. "We've all tasted what life has to deliver," says Schultz. JIM PLUNKETT is on a roll. 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's as tough a guy as I've ever met. Three seasons later, he did it again, helping the relocated-to-Los Angeles Raiders defeat the Washington Redskins for the title. Hearing the story again, Jim Plunkett, the One and Only, smiles and rolls his eyes to his wife's amusement. 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. Ball Carrier. ''If they wanted to go somewhere, they went. When the Heisman vote was announced, Plunkett had won by a wide margin. 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. He achieved his greatest professional success during his final eight seasons with the Raiders franchise, whom he led to two Super Bowl titles.[1]. ", In addition to mustering his physical skills, Plunkett had to change the coaches' perception of what a leader was. James William "Jim" Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is a former American football quarterback who played college football . 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. They later moved to San Jose where William ran a newsstand, and where they were able to find low-cost housing. I love my daughter. AWR 80. [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. Despite his lack of fame, his contributions will not go unnoticed. But more than most athletes, he understands perspective. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. PAC 81. He set a new Pacific 8 record with 2,156 yards passing and 14 touchdown passes in his first season as a Stanford quarterback. His father was born legally blind but, with thick enough glasses, could get around, even serving as the cook of the family. led four postseason wins. 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. Jim Plunkett (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/. 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. His successful junior campaign saw him set league records for touchdown passes (20), passing yards (2,673) and total offense (2,786). Teammates never doubted who was in command if they didn't do their jobs. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. The Raiders became the first team from the Wild Card era to win a Super Bowl. He competed in basketball, baseball, track and wrestling - earning a California High School Individual Wrestling Championship. Knee and shoulder surgeries became almost commonplace, and after a season of limited play in 1975, he asked to be traded. ''She always wanted to know what the trees and the hills looked like. During training camp in 1980, Plunkett asked to be traded because he expected to have virtually no playing time again. His mother, Carmen, had not seen the outside world since she was 19 years old due to typhoid. He became the second multiple recipient of the W.J. 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. Only two teams in NFL history have made two Super Bowl appearances in the same five-year period without a Hall of Fame or future Hall of Fame quarterback at the helm the Redskins (Mark Rypien and Doug Williams) and the Raiders (Jim Plunkett). His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. 326 Galvez Street 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. But when I wanted to keep playing, she understood that, too. He led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981. In the "Year of the Quarterback," he was voted the Heisman Trophy, easily beating out Notre Dame's Joe Theismann and Mississippi's Archie Manning. To this day he has a tendency to drop into the background, heightened sometimes by the pervasive sadness of his son's death. In the family's home, one room is dedicated to Plunkett's accomplishments. From the spoken words of influential leaders, to emotionally powerful lyrics in a song, heroic audio is all around us. A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. While at Stanford he joined Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. His reputation was severely hampered by his shadow, and he was ignored andunderappreciated. Plunkett, by then a star with growing national acclaim, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Moore to key a 24-14 victory, Stanford's first over the Trojans in 13 years. In addition, the American College Football Coaches Association designated him as their Offensive Player of the Year. Jim Plunketts story is told in a film, and its a fascinating look at American football history. ''My parents were very stubborn,'' he said. Tara VanDerveer took the Cardinal from doormat to dynamo and helped boost womens athletics. ACC 77. I took a tough road to get where I finally got.. He worked from an early age, cleaning up at a gas station while in elementary school, delivering newspapers, bagging groceries, and working in orchards. "I don't know where I would have gone," Plunkett says, "but I would have transferred. For years he has opened the guesthouse at his Atherton home to Stanford athletes ex-quarterback Tavita Pritchard, '10, is the current resident. The next year he was, to San Francisco. Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. He did not like the area he lived in, often did not have money for dates, and avoided bringing friends to his house. '', William Plunkett had a news stand in San Jose, Calif., at first in the Post Office building, later in the Unemployment Office. Resisting the temptation to turn pro in 1970, Plunkett stayed for his senior season. 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. He was the first Latino to win the Heisman Trophy. [9] 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. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders for 1978. "The team was full of an awful lot of talented guys as well as egos," says Schultz, who was a strong safety. He is a role model for never giving up. William was legally blind and worked as a news vendor, in addition to working as a news vendor. The tumor turned out to be benign, but Plunkett has never forgotten the generosity shown by Rust. 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. 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. Current head coach Jim Harbaugh describes Plunkett as an "iconic" figure, and as the school's only Heisman Trophy winner, Plunkett resides in a special place in Stanford's athletic pantheon. Jim Plunkett is the story of a three-year NFL career that was filled with busts. When Jim was eight years old, his father died of a heart attack. [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. Jim was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft. In a call with Rod Rust, the assistant coach who had recruited him, Plunkett relayed his fears. He got his opportunity when starter Dan Pastorini suffered a broken leg against Kansas City. 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. No rushing or total offense stats currently available for Plunkett. Jim Plunkett set records all three years he quarterbacked Stanford. 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. 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). He also captured the Maxwell Award for the nations best quarterback and was named player of the year by United Press International, The Sporting News, and SPORT magazine. 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. ''I'd go there and help him,'' Jim Plunkett said. Visitors, teachers, students, and MY HERO staff publish all kinds of stories, from inspirational essays about a close friend, to important global issues. '', His mother attended the 1971 Rose Bowl game that Stanford won, 27-17, from Ohio State. Born to blind parents, he worked several part-time jobs in high school to help support the family. The family lived in relative poverty, and received state financial aid. She has high blood pressure. Nothing got draped over the Heisman. But Plunkett was the face of the team's success, that strong chin like a pointer for his powerful arm. Slow to recover from the surgery on his neck, Plunkett didn't impress anybody during spring practice at the end of his freshman year. ", 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. "You look a lot worse than that," Plunkett responds. 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. Last Update: May 30, 2022. On the field or in the studio, Andrew Luck is a guy you can build around. The 32-year-old Plunkett came off the bench to relieve Pastorini, throwing five interceptions in a 3117 loss. As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. Stanford, California 94305. Then he threw for 261 yards again in the Super Bowl. His mother then took a job as a bank teller to support the family. ''So if I had quit, she probably would have liked that. 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. Rust, now 82, remembers making that promise impulsively, confident that Stanford would back him up. His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. New England also influenced the AFC East championship race, as Plunkett's 88-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to former Stanford teammate Randy Vataha on the final day of the season dropped the Baltimore Colts to a 1040 record and into second place in the division behind the 1031 Miami Dolphins. "I worried more about Stanford being good enough for Jim Plunkett," he says. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since she was 19 because of typhoid fever. 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.