Johnny Rutledge facts for kids
| No. 51, 58, 53 | |||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | January 4, 1977 Belle Glade, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 239 lb (108 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Glades Central (Belle Glade) | ||||
| College: | Florida | ||||
| NFL Draft: | 1999 / Round: 2 / Pick: 51 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Johnny Rutledge (born January 4, 1977) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. A linebacker is a defensive player who lines up behind the defensive line. Their job is to stop the opposing team from running with the ball or to rush the quarterback.
Rutledge played college football for the Florida Gators. He was part of a team that won a national championship. After college, he was picked in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. He then played professionally for the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos.
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Early Life and High School Football
Johnny Rutledge was born in Belle Glade, Florida, in 1977. He grew up there and went to Glades Central High School. While at Glades Central, he played high school football for the Glades Central Raiders team.
College Football Career
Rutledge earned a special scholarship to play football at the University of Florida. He joined the Florida Gators football team in Gainesville, Florida. He played for the Gators from 1995 to 1998 under coach Steve Spurrier.
A big moment in his college career was in 1996. His Gators team won the Bowl Alliance national championship. They beat the Florida State Seminoles 52–20 in the 1997 Sugar Bowl. Rutledge was also recognized as one of the best players in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). He was a second-team All-SEC player in 1997 and a first-team selection in 1998.
After his NFL career, Johnny Rutledge went back to the University of Florida. He graduated in 2007 with a degree in health and human performance.
Professional Football Career
The Arizona Cardinals chose Johnny Rutledge in the 1999 NFL draft. He was the fifty-first player picked overall. He played for the Cardinals from 1999 to 2002.
His last season in the NFL was in 2003 with the Denver Broncos. During his five years in the NFL, Rutledge played in 46 regular season games.
See also
- Florida Gators football, 1990–99
- History of the Denver Broncos
- List of Florida Gators in the NFL draft
- List of University of Florida alumni
