Jessie Tuggle
refer to caption
Tuggle in 2021
No. 58
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1965-04-04) April 4, 1965
Griffin, Georgia, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:232 lb (105 kg)
Career information
High school:Griffin
College:Valdosta State
Undrafted:1987
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Tackles:1,809
Sacks:21.0
Interceptions:6
Player stats at NFL.com

Jessie Lloyd Tuggle Jr. (born April 4, 1965)[4] is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 2000. He played college football for the Valdosta State Blazers. He appeared in the Pro Bowl five times, and played in Super Bowl XXXIII. His nickname is "the Hammer", because of the impact of his tackles.

Early years

Tuggle was born in 1965 in Spalding County, Georgia,[5] and attended Griffin High School. He played football at Griffin as an outside linebacker and offensive guard.[6]

Tuggle was considered "too small" (five-foot-10 and 180 pounds) and "too slow" to play Division I college football. He was not recruited by any Division I programs and received only two Division II offers. He accepted an offer from Valdosta State University and was a four-year starter at linebacker from 1983 to 1986. He broke Valdosta's career record with 340 tackles.[7] He was a three-time All-Gulf South Conference selection and his No. 88 was retired less than a decade after Tuggle left.[8]

In 2007, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[6]

Atlanta Falcons

After going undrafted, Tuggle signed with the Atlanta Falcons through a chance encounter. During training camp, myriad injuries at linebacker gave Tuggle playing time and a shot at making the roster (which he did).[9]

After being a role player his rookie season, he recorded 108 tackles by virtue of eight starts. Becoming a bona fide star on the Atlanta defense, marked by the 1989-1993 period in which Tuggle racked up 969 tackles. During that stretch, he made his first Pro Bowl appearance in 1992.[9] Even while the Falcons languished, Tuggle never thought of leaving in free agency, even when he would meet former teammates like Brett Favre.[10] This endeared him to many Atlanta fans, who consider him one of the greatest and most beloved Falcons of all time.

After being with the Falcons through some tough years,[11] the high point in Tuggle's career was 1998, when he played in Super Bowl XXXIII and was voted to the Pro Bowl.[12]

Tuggle retired during training camp in 2001 after injuries plagued the end of his career.[13]

In his 14 NFL seasons, Tuggle appeared in 209 games (189 as a starter) and recorded 1,640 tackles (164 assisted), 21 sacks, six interceptions, which he returned for 106 yards and a touchdown, 10 forced fumbles and 37 pass deflections. He also recovered 10 fumbles, returning them for 155 yards and an NFL record five touchdowns.[14]

He and his former teammate Clay Matthews Jr. are the only two players to lead the NFL in tackles four times. Tuggle also holds the record for most tackles from 1990 to 1999 with 1,293.[15] At the time of his retirement, he held the NFL record for touchdowns via fumble recoveries with five.[16]

Personal life

Tuggle's oldest son, Justin Tuggle, played at Kansas State University and is a former linebacker in the NFL and Canadian Football League. He participated in the 2013 NFL Draft, but was undrafted, and eventually signed with the Houston Texans.[17]

His youngest son, Grady Jarrett, played defensive end in college football at Clemson University. Jarrett went on to be selected as the first pick in the 5th round (137th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft by his father's former team, the Atlanta Falcons.[18]

Tuggle has experienced some concussion-related symptoms like memory loss.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Falcons honor Michael Vick, Roddy White in ceremony". ESPN.com. June 12, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Falcons close in on the postseason". tampabay.com. December 23, 2002. Retrieved September 4, 2005.
  3. ↑ "McCord's big day lifts Falcons over Lions". ESPN.com. December 22, 2002.
  4. ↑ "Jessie Tuggle Pro Football Reference". pro-football-reference.com.
  5. ↑ "Jessie Tuggle". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Looking back: Tuggle known for nickname and his determination". myajc. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons | Ring of Honor - Jessie Tuggle". Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  8. ↑ "HALL OF FAME PROFILE: JESSIE TUGGLE". footballfoundation.org. National Football Foundation. June 26, 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Rosenberg, I. J. "Top 50 Falcons: No. 6, Jessie Tuggle | Atlanta Falcons blog: Atlanta football news". Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Loyalty Finally Pays Off for Tuggle / Pro Bowl linebacker stayed with Atlanta, even in lean years". SFGate. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons: All-time underrated, overrated players". NFL.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  12. ↑ Service, Morris News. "Falcons to send five to Pro Bowl | chronicle.augusta.com". chronicle.augusta.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  13. ↑ Newberry, Paul. "Falcons' Tuggle retires | Online Athens". onlineathens.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Jessie Tuggle". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  15. ↑ "For combined seasons, from 1990 to 1999, requiring Tackles >= 0, sorted by descending Tackles". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  16. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons: Why Jessie Tuggle should be in the hall of fame". 247Sports. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Undrafted rookie free agents for all 32 NFL teams". NFL.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  18. ↑ Klemko, Robert. "A Dream Interrupts a Nightmare". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Former NFL and College Star Jessie Tuggle Talked About his NFL Career". ESPN 99.1 – Sioux Falls Sports Leader – Sioux Falls Sports. February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
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