![]() Plunkett in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
No. 16 | |||||||||||||||||
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Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
Born: | San Jose, California, U.S. | December 5, 1947||||||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||
High school: | William C. Overfelt (San Jose, California) James Lick (San Jose, California) | ||||||||||||||||
College: | Stanford (1968–1970) | ||||||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1971 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 | ||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||
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Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
James William Plunkett (born December 5, 1947) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He achieved his greatest success during his final eight seasons with the Raiders franchise, whom he led to two Super Bowl wins.[1]
He played college football for the Stanford Indians, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1970.[2] He was selected first overall by the New England Patriots in the 1971 NFL draft.[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. Released from the 49ers after suffering further injuries, Plunkett signed with the Oakland Raiders in 1978.
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.[4] In 1983, Plunkett again ascended from backup to starter to quarterback the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XVIII. He is the only eligible quarterback with two Super Bowl wins as a starter not to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[5][6] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.