Plunkett grew up in San Jose, California, the son of parents who were Native American and Hispanic. The First Deaf Player In The NHL: Jim Kyte. Sometimes the measure of a hero isnt that he did something amazing, but that he inspires many people. As a boy, Jim always dreamed of being in the NFL. A few examples include players who were considered busts but rebounded to make their mark on the game. draft, things like that. DAC 79. 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. Jim made great contributions to professional football because he helped the Raiders beat the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl. It proved to be one of the most astute decisions made by the Raiders oft-criticized owner. Plunkett completed 16 of 25 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown in the game. His father was born legally blind but, with thick enough glasses, could get around, even serving as the cook of the family. 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. His parents were blind, and he chose nearby Stanford so he could be near them. 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. In the spring, his daughter, Meghan Plunkett, graduated with a business and marketing degree from Manhattan College in New York, which she attended on a volleyball scholarship. Rust, now 82, remembers making that promise impulsively, confident that Stanford would back him up. He wore very thick glasses,'' he said. 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. William Plunkett first worked in the Richmond shipyards. "He was on my shoulder the whole time," Moore recalls. He chose to play for Stanford in part because he wanted to stay close to his parents, both of whom were blind. He set a new Pacific 8 record with 2,156 yards passing and 14 touchdown passes in his first season as a Stanford quarterback. 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). "He has to be one of the great comeback stories of our time," said Raiders owner Al Davis. He achieved his greatest professional success during his final eight seasons with the Raiders franchise, whom he led to two Super Bowl titles.[1]. Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular. ", In addition to mustering his physical skills, Plunkett had to change the coaches' perception of what a leader was. "I'm proud of that game," Plunkett said of Oakland's 27-10 victory over Philadelphia. ''If they wanted to go somewhere, they went. Jim and his sisters learned to work hard and do things for themselves as they grew up. Jim Plunkett (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/. Before family and friends in Northern California, Plunkett had two inconsistent years with the 49ers and then was released before the 1978 season. He is also the only player to pass for 25, 882 yards, 164 touchdown passes, and 198 picks. Back-to-back winning seasons had been blemished by key losses, and they were down to their last chance to win a championship. Our gallery features art in the theme of heroism. I remember them saying that they weren't handicapped, that they could do just about anything except see. I remember my father always told me to come straight home after school. The tumor turned out to be benign, but Plunkett has never forgotten the generosity shown by Rust. Jim Plunkett played 15 NFL seasons, but his eight years with the Raiders defined his career. Jim Plunketts story is something out of a movie, and he has his rightful place in history, but he is not a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His parents were blind from the start. His mother, Carmen, was sightless since . As a sophomore, 1968, he passed for 2,156 yards, a record in what was then the Pac-8 Conference. Jim Plunkett is the first Latino to win the prestigious award. When Jim was eight years old, his father died of a heart attack. Completed artwork should reflect thoughtful ideas to show how the selected hero demonstrates heroic action and creates positive social change. And if I left some clothes on the floor, she would step on them and find out. His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. STR 59. Jim was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft. 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. Then followed three sensational seasons at Stanford, culminating with the 1970 Heisman Trophy. "Bob [Moore] and Jack Schultz came to our house every day," Gerry Plunkett recalls. At this time, Heisman voters are spread out across five regions. Jim Plunkett is the story of a three-year NFL career that was filled with busts. Although Plunkett passed for 19 touchdowns and led the Pats to a 7-7 record in 1974, injuries mounted. 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). A month before his enrollment, Plunkett was told by doctors that the lump he had felt at the base of his neck was cancerous. Help us celebrate the best of humanity, we need your support! His father William died of a heart attack in 1969. Plunkett received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Roger Staubach in 1981. Jack and Aletha were determined to give Jim a normal life, and he attended public schools and played sports. 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 rallied around him and he just rose to the occasion, making big plays in big games.. [19], Plunkett was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 in San Francisco, California, and finally the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 in recognition for both his college and pro football careers. The 32-year-old Plunkett came off the bench to relieve Pastorini, throwing five interceptions in a 3117 loss. Plunkett is on the Hall of Fame wall at James Lick. Still, he remains active at Stanford, regularly attending events on campus and raising money for athletic scholarships through his annual charity golf tournament. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. I love my daughter. His father, who was of Irish descent, passed away when Plunkett was just nine years old. When the Heisman vote was announced, Plunkett had won by a wide margin. I took a tough road to get where I finally got.. The Oakland Raiders have had a total of 25 members inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including players, executives, and coaches. When starting quarterback Dan Pastorini suffered a broken leg early in the 1980 season, Plunkett stepped in and led the Raiders all the way to a 27-10 Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing three TD passes and becoming the game's most valuable player. It was probably very hard to live with blind parents, but Jim figured out a way to do it. Plunkett reflected that his life "sucks" as a result of his physical injuries. Visitors, teachers, students, and MY HERO staff publish all kinds of stories, from inspirational essays about a close friend, to important global issues. [5][6], Plunkett was born to Mexican-American parents with an Irish-German grandfather on his paternal side. "You got the look from Jim," recalls Vataha, a wide receiver, "and the look was not comfortable. It took a lot of courage to get there. 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. The Northern California native, who was born to blind parents, chose Stanford University to remain close to them. Jim Plunkett learned about perspective growing up as the only son, along with two older sisters, of blind parents. SAC 81. He completed 571 of his 571 passes for a career-low 571 yards, three touchdown passes, and seven picks. Andrew Luck, a rising star in the NFL, has established himself as one of the leagues best quarterbacks. Wanting to stay closer to home to help look after his parents, Plunkett decided to attend Stanford University. He didn't play well for the freshman team, and when his performance didn't improve the next spring, coach John Ralston suggested a switch to defensive end. For years he has opened the guesthouse at his Atherton home to Stanford athletes ex-quarterback Tavita Pritchard, '10, is the current resident. 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. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. Even Plunkett's buddies underestimated him occasionally. Ken Stabler won one Super Bowl championship as Ken Stabler played Sloth in The Goonies. John Matuszak portrayed him in the film. "Many people felt I was washed up, and I wasn't sure they were wrong. Prior to retiring, he earned between $400,000 and $600,000 per year. He competed in basketball, baseball, track and wrestling - earning a California High School Individual Wrestling Championship. The first time he demonstrated athletic promise was at the age of 14, when he won a throwing contest with a toss of over 60 yards. 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. TUP 83. The defense included linebacker Jeff Siemon, '72, and tackle Pete Lazetich, '72, who became first-team All-Americans the following season and helped lead Stanford back to the Rose Bowl. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities! An outstanding rookie year in the NFL with the New England Patriots preceded numerous injuries and a drift to the ranks of the ordinary. 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. Born to blind Mexican-American parents, Jim Plunkett beat the odds to make a name for himself. "When I found out I'd finished second to Jim," said Theismann in 1984, "I was genuinely crushed. 326 Galvez Street [15], Plunkett is the subject of annual debate about whether he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played for the Patriots for four seasons, before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1975. In the NFL, prospects who were expected to make big waves are frequently busts. Jim Plunkett, on the other hand, is well known as one of the most absent Raider. Plunkett was born to William and Carmella Plunkett (his mother was Mexican, his father was also of Mexican descent) in San Jose Calif. His mother lost her sight when she was 20. ''I tell people that one of the things that always annoyed my parents was having others thinking they were handicapped. In spite of never being selected to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, and everything the Ravens have done pre-raid, his tenure has been worthwhile. They are a permanent set: Plunk, Red, B.M., Schultzie and Rabbit. 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. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He was the first Latino to win the Heisman Trophy. He also helped them get their own food and stuff. I do feel somewhat slighted, Plunkett says. Every single one of the teams tenures has resulted in a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro selection, and the tenure has been disastrous.