Jeff Rutledge
{{NFL.com player}} template missing ID and not present in Wikidata. Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge (born January 22, 1957 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a former professional American football quarterback. Selected in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams from the University of Alabama, where he was the MVP of the 1979 Sugar Bowl, Rutledge played in 14 NFL seasons from 1979 to 1992 for 3 different teams. He was a backup in Super Bowl XIV as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, he played in Super Bowl XXI as a member of the New York Giants, and was a backup in Super Bowl XXVI as a member of the Washington Redskins.
Currently Rutledge works as an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals.
Rutledge spent most of his career as a back-up QB and a holder on kicks. His finest moment as a professional player came when he came off the bench in a game versus the Detroit Lions in 1990. Trailing 35-14 with 10:37 left in the third quarter Rutledge replaced an ineffective Stan Humphries and led a great comeback. He completing 30 of 42 passes for 363 yards and a touchdown as well as rushing 12 yards for the game tying TD with only 24 seconds remaining. In overtime, he hit Art Monk with a vital 40 yard pass on 3rd and 15 to help drive for Chip Lohmiller's game winning field goal.
It meant Rutledge got the nod to start the following week on Monday Night against the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that was to become infamously known as the "Body Bag Game". Rutledge and then Stan Humphries were knocked out of the game, leaving emergency QB Brian Mitchell (a kick returner and former college QB) to finish the game at Quarterback. Rutledge would never start an NFL game again but he did see spot duty in relief of returning starter Mark Rypien in the Skins 1991 Super Bowl Championship season including some playing time in the Skins last game of the regular season, again against the Philadelphia Eagles.
A winner at every level played, back to back state titles at Banks High School in Birmingham, Al. A member of 3 SEC Championships teams and a National Championship team at Alabama and being a member of two Super Bowl Championship teams.
See also
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