He was born to a blind mother and father.. "He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time," said Raiders owner Al Davis. Once in the press box, he growls "lousy" when asked how he's feeling. He was the first Latino to win the Heisman Trophy. He sat out all of 1987 with a shoulder injury and his NFL career ended in the 1988 preseason when, at 40, the Raiders released him. 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. Two weeks later, Stanford beat UCLA for the first time in eight years. Sign-up for our newsletter to inspire your inbox. led four postseason wins. His mother, Carmen, had not seen the outside world since she was 19 years old due to typhoid. Plunkett's Stanford career nearly ended before it began. ''My parents were very stubborn,'' he said. Jim Plunkett - Heisman In addition, the American College Football Coaches Association designated him as their Offensive Player of the Year. Jim was a hard worker because, instead of feeling sorry for himself, he spent his time trying to improve. ESPN Classic - Plunkett kept coming back He also helped them get their own food and stuff. '', His mother is of Mexican heritage, his father was a mixture of German, Irish and Mexican. THP 86. By this time, Jim's two older sisters, Genevieve (16 years older than Jim) and Mary Ann (5 years older than Jim) had been born; Jim was born in 1947, after the family had moved to Santa Clara. '', When he and his mother, Carmen, took walks, he would describe the scenery to her. Click here to donate. Knee and shoulder surgeries became almost commonplace, and after a season of limited play in 1975, he asked to be traded. ''The thing I'm sorry for,'' he said, ''is that my father worked so hard but he wasn't around for the best part -winning the Heisman Trophy, going to the Rose Bowl, being the No. ", In addition to mustering his physical skills, Plunkett had to change the coaches' perception of what a leader was. The NFL's Comeback Player of the Year then And then there's family. 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. I remember my father always told me to come straight home after school. ", Plunkett, shy and modest, took a different view: "I wanted the Heisman, but my whole life wasn't centered on it.". As a result, he was raised by his mother who worked as a secretary to support the family. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. SAC 81. The Oakland Raiders have had a total of 25 members inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including players, executives, and coaches. He achieved his greatest professional success during his final eight seasons with the Raiders franchise, whom he led to two Super Bowl titles.[1]. 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 . Hearing the story again, Jim Plunkett, the One and Only, smiles and rolls his eyes to his wife's amusement. Carmen was also of Native American ancestry. His career began as a backup to Plunkett but he was never able to establish himself as a starter. Oklahoma's Chuck Fairbanks replaced John Mazur as Patriots coach in 1973 and installed an offense that had Plunkett running some option plays and continuing to take a beating. During training camp in 1980, Plunkett asked to be traded because he expected to have virtually no playing time again. He was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, released two seasons later, then signed by the Raiders. He was tall in the pocket, very powerful, a strong leader. He is an inspiration to all who know him. And in three of the four seasons before Plunkett's emergence, Stanford had gone 5-5. STR 59. ''I know my mother didn't make the trip to New Orleans for the Super Bowl because she doesn't fly anymore,'' he said. What happened to Hart was not unintended. He led the team to a Pac-8 Conference championship and a berth in the 1971 Rose Bowl. The Raiders advanced to Super Bowl XVIII, where they defeated the Washington Redskins, 389. 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. Jim made great contributions to professional football because he helped the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl. Jim Plunkett - Biography Biography Plunkett was born to Mexican American parents with an Irish-German great-grandfather on his paternal side. 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. Plunkett threw for 2,935 yards, 20 touchdown passes, and 18 picks in that season. With a Super Bowl MVP in hand, Plunkett's comeback season was complete. Plunkett was born December 5, 1947 in Santa Clara, California and was a high school star there. All artworks in our commercial free, age-appropriate Gallery are contributed by professional and student artists as well as curated from art institutions around the world. 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 . He was the starting quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal from 1968 to 1970. 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. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. His parents were poor and blind, but they were very proud. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. His parents were poor and blind, but they were very proud. Jim Plunkett | Latina/o/x @ Stanford - Spotlight at Stanford Resisting the temptation to turn pro in 1970, Plunkett stayed for his senior season. Plunkett was born to Mexican-American parents with an Irish-German grandfather on his paternal side. Five mostly difficult seasons in New England followed, preceding a trade to the 49ers and, in 1978, Plunketts outright release. Had they insisted on it, the number of Heisman Trophy winners at Stanford would still be zero. They met while attending the California School for the Blind in Berkeley, and were married in 1934. California and was a high school star there. His mind only replays moments; his body replays every minute of damage. ", I got so many great letters. "I'm 10 years older than you," says a sportswriter celebrating his 72nd birthday. In 1971, he was drafted by the New England Patriots, and he went on to have a successful career in the NFL. 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 played for the New England patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders in addition to the 49ers. ACC 77. From the Americans WhoTell the Truth portrait series. 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. Anyone can read what you share. 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. He received several accolades during his career, including the only Heisman Trophy (1970) in school history. Fortunately, he says, I was able to take advantage.. Jim was born in San Jose, California, in 1948. After graduation, Jim attended Stanford University on a football scholarship. 1981 Topps Jim Plunkett | PSA CardFacts 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. For any number of questions about what sustains Plunkett, what fulfills him, there is just one answer: "I love my wife. ''But growing up, I didn't feel like I had to take care of either my father or my mother. . "I worried more about Stanford being good enough for Jim Plunkett," he says. TUP 83. He retired after undergoing 18 surgical procedures during his playing days. 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. 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. 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. His mother then took a job as a bank teller to support the family. 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. "It surprised me that he was able to come back because I thought physically he had been so punished that he couldn't come back - and he certainly did," says Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi about Jim Plunkett on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series. He was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. What made it hard for Jim to grow up? Voit Memorial Trophy, awarded each year to the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. Watch our short introduction video for more information. He was regarded as a bust after being released by the 49ers in 2010. He would have been so proud to have been around all that. jim plunkett parents blind ''She had a bad experience on a plane a few years ago coming back from visiting her family in New Mexico. A few examples include players who were considered busts but rebounded to make their mark on the game. Jim attended high school at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. Back-to-back winning seasons had been blemished by key losses, and they were down to their last chance to win a championship. He is also the only player to pass for 25, 882 yards, 164 touchdown passes, and 198 picks. New York, NY, 10006. Plunkett, 63, is still involved with the Raiders, co-hosting a team-produced weekly television program, The Silver and Black Show, and sitting in Davis box during games. Only his family means more, and even in that context, there is a special rapport. After a 59 season in 1977, the 49ers released him during the 1978 preseason. Plunkett was born on Dec. 5, 1947, in San Jose, Calif., the youngest of three children. ''I tell people that one of the things that always annoyed my parents was having others thinking they were handicapped. When the Heisman vote was announced, Plunkett won by a wide margin. 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. Mike Antonucci is the senior writer at Stanford. [3] His tenure with the Patriots was productive, but after an injury-shortened 1975 season he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he played in 1976 and 1977. He was named the Super Bowl MVP, becoming the first deaf player to win the award. He is the only eligible two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has not been voted in. Plunketts Stanford career nearly ended before it began. [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. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities! His parents were both blind. He also shined the light back on everybody else.". Plunkett guided Oakland to nine victories in eleven games and a playoff berth as a wild card. In addition to this, he became the second of four players to win the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP, alongside Roger Staubach, Marcus Allen, and Desmond Howard. Still, he remains active at Stanford, regularly attending events on campus and raising money for athletic scholarships through his annual charity golf tournament. He retired during the 1988 pre-season as the fourth-leading passer in Raiders history. 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. After that, she was totally blind. 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. If Plunkett was a leading passer, he was also a sentimental favorite. 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. ''My father was legally blind from birth, but he could get around.He. Jim Plunkett is a remarkable man who has overcome many obstacles in his life. 111 Broadway, Suite 103A He was a member of the National Football Leagues Atlanta Falcons for 16 seasons. "Our daughter was very upset; she didn't want to feel she was letting Jimmy down," says Plunkett. . 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. ''Even at my age,'' he said with a laugh, ''when I walk in and hug her, she reaches for the top of my head and feels the hair in the back to see if I need a haircut. Is it a person who sells newspapers or a company that makes newspapers?, Name 2 other sports that Jim played. Jim Plunkett is the first Latino to win the prestigious award. Carmen was born blind as a result of typhoid fever, which occurred when she was 19 years old. He was also named the nations top football player in addition to winning the Maxwell Award. They came together in Oakland after Plunkett washed out in New England and San Francisco and was contemplating retirement. "You got the look from Jim," recalls Vataha, a wide receiver, "and the look was not comfortable. [9], The Plunketts moved to California during World War II. [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. I never wanted to worry them unnecessarily. Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center 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. The star running back was the 2012 National Championship winner with Stanford and was the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Her dad was afraid she'd stay in New York. 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. 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. Heart of a Legend | STANFORD magazine Or if they wanted to clean the house, they cleaned the house. And suddenly, from near-oblivion, a rise again to the top as 1981 Super Bowl MVP. The players liked him. Playing for the Oakland Raiders, Pastorini broke his shinbone and cartilage in his knee. But he's quick to turn conversations into the kind of comedic sparring he perfected in locker rooms. For years he has opened the guesthouse at his Atherton home to Stanford athletes ex-quarterback Tavita Pritchard, '10, is the current resident. 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. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since . Forty years later, his impact on college football hasn't lost any luster, even though the sport has become far more freewheeling and ratcheted up the stats of quarterbacks everywhere.