Justin Tuck facts for kids
Tuck signing a football in 2015
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | March 29, 1983 Kellyton, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Central Coosa County (Rockford, Alabama) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame (2001–2004) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2005 / Round: 3 / Pick: 74 | ||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||
Justin Lee Tuck (born March 29, 1983) is a former professional football player. He was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). Justin Tuck played college football at Notre Dame. He was chosen by the New York Giants in the 2005 NFL draft. He won two Super Bowl titles with the Giants. He also played for the Oakland Raiders. After retiring from football, Tuck earned a business degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 2018. He then worked for Goldman Sachs.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Justin Tuck grew up in Alabama. His favorite sport was basketball. He started playing football in seventh grade. However, he only began to take it seriously in high school. He first played as a quarterback before switching to tight end and defensive end.
In 2000, during his senior year, he was named Alabama Class 4A Player of the Year. He was a top player in both football and basketball. He helped his high school basketball team win two state championships.
College Football Career
Justin Tuck received a scholarship to play football at the University of Notre Dame. He played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team from 2001 to 2004. In his first year, he was "redshirted," which means he practiced but did not play in games. This allowed him to have an extra year of eligibility later.
He started playing more in his later years at Notre Dame. In 2003, he had 13.5 sacks before a knee injury. Even with a knee problem in 2004, he still played well. His teammates called him The Freak because of his amazing athletic skills.
Tuck set several defensive records at Notre Dame. He finished his college career with 24.5 sacks, which was a school record. He also set records for tackles for loss in a career and sacks in a single season. He graduated from Notre Dame in 2005 with a degree in management.
Professional Football Journey
Before the 2005 NFL draft, experts thought Justin Tuck would be picked in the first round. However, a knee injury made some teams hesitate. He was known as a "terrific athlete" who was "disruptive" and "tough to move." He was also praised for his strength and quickness.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | Wonderlic | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+1⁄2 in (1.94 m) |
256 lb (116 kg) |
33 in (0.84 m) |
9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.62 s | 4.29 s | 7.33 s | 37+1⁄2 in (0.95 m) |
9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) |
24 reps | 29 | ||
| Height, weight, and Wonderlic from NFL Combine; all others from Notre Dame Pro Day. | ||||||||||||
Playing for the New York Giants
The New York Giants selected Justin Tuck in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team.
First Seasons with the Giants
In his first year (2005), Tuck was a backup defensive end. He played on special teams and filled in when needed. He got his first career sack against the Dallas Cowboys. He finished his rookie season with 33 tackles and one sack.
In 2006, Tuck played in only six games due to a foot injury. He had surgery to fix it.
Becoming a Key Player
In 2007, even though he only started two games, Tuck had a great season. He recorded 65 tackles and 10 sacks. He often played alongside other strong defensive ends like Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. The Giants used a special strategy with four defensive ends to pressure opposing quarterbacks. In January 2008, Tuck signed a new five-year contract with the Giants.
Super Bowl XLII Victory
Justin Tuck played a huge role in Super Bowl XLII in 2008. The Giants faced the undefeated New England Patriots. Tuck played so well that many people thought he deserved the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, which went to quarterback Eli Manning. Tuck and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady even exchanged some playful "trash talk" during the intense game.
All-Pro Season in 2008
After the Super Bowl win, Tuck continued to improve. He even started boxing to get better at using his hands. In the 2008 season, he sacked the opposing quarterback on the very first play of the season. He also had his first career interception and returned it for a touchdown. This was his first touchdown since college.
Tuck finished the 2008 season with 66 tackles and 12 sacks. His excellent play earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl and he was named All-Pro for the first time.
Later Seasons with the Giants
In 2009, Tuck dealt with a shoulder injury that affected his play. Still, he had 6 sacks and 6 forced fumbles.
In 2010, Tuck continued to be a top defensive end. He had a career-high 76 tackles and 11.5 sacks. He was again named to the Pro Bowl.
Super Bowl XLVI Victory
Justin Tuck battled injuries in the 2011 season, playing in 11 games. However, he was a star in the playoffs. He had 3.5 sacks in the postseason, including two in Super Bowl XLVI. The Giants won their second Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. Many thought Tuck should have been the MVP again, but Eli Manning won it. Tuck joked that Manning "stole my MVP again." He also became the first player to have multiple multi-sack games in the Super Bowl.
In 2012 and 2013, Tuck continued to be a strong player for the Giants. In 2013, he had an impressive game with four sacks against the Washington Redskins. He finished that season with 11 sacks.
Time with the Oakland Raiders
In 2014, Justin Tuck signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders. He played in 15 games and recorded five sacks. In 2015, he was placed on injured reserve due to a chest injury after playing in five games.
Retirement from Football
Justin Tuck announced his retirement from professional football on February 1, 2016, after 11 seasons. On May 6, 2016, he signed a special one-day contract with the New York Giants. This allowed him to officially retire as a Giant, the team where he had so much success.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Sfty | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | ||
| 2005 | NYG | 14 | 1 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 1.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 | NYG | 6 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | NYG | 16 | 2 | 65 | 48 | 17 | 10.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 67 | 52 | 15 | 12.0 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 41.0 | 41T | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2009 | NYG | 16 | 15 | 59 | 44 | 15 | 6.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| 2010 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 76 | 48 | 28 | 11.5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 |
| 2011 | NYG | 12 | 11 | 37 | 26 | 11 | 5.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | NYG | 15 | 14 | 45 | 27 | 18 | 4.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | NYG | 16 | 15 | 63 | 41 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 1 | −2.0 | −2.0 | −2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | OAK | 15 | 12 | 43 | 37 | 6 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | OAK | 5 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 1.0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 147 | 111 | 510 | 353 | 157 | 66.5 | 0 | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 41 | 1 | 22 | 6 | |
Personal Life and Interests
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Justin Tuck's parents are Jimmy Lee and Elaine Tuck. His father built their family home by hand, where Justin grew up with his seven siblings.
Justin is married to Lauran Williamson. She also graduated from Notre Dame in 2005. She played intramural football and wrote for the student newspaper. They started dating when Justin was in his junior year of college.
As a child, Justin was nicknamed "He-Man" because he was very big for his age. He would run around his house shouting phrases from the Masters of the Universe cartoon. He was also the youngest Sunday School teacher at his church. Justin is cousins with NFL players Bobby Wagner and Adalius Thomas.
After the Giants won Super Bowl XLII, Justin became very famous in his home state of Alabama. People would ask for his autograph and tell him how proud they were. He is also a big fan of the New York Rangers hockey team.
Justin Tuck is involved in many good causes. He worked with Nike to design special sneakers, and all the money from sales went to charity. He also appeared on the TV show "Cake Boss" to order a cake for a charity event called "Tuck's Rush for Literacy." This event helped promote reading.
Justin Tuck and his family live in Fort Lee, New Jersey. In 2018, he earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
See also
In Spanish: Justin Tuck para niños
