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Today in Patriots History
Grey Ruegamer Defends the Wall
Grey Ruegamer Defends the Wall
Happy 48th birthday to Grey Ruegamer
Born June 11, 1976 in Las Vegas
Patriot C/G, 2000-2002; uniform #67
Signed as a free agent on November 16, 2000
Gary Ruegamer played in 33 games over three seasons with the Patriots, with three starts. He was a third round pick by the Dolphins in '99 out of Arizona State, and signed by the Patriots off Pittsburgh's practice squad. A two-time Super Bowl champion, his claim to fame as a Patriot may be for blocking on Tom Brady's first career rushing touchdown against the Jets. Ruegamer later defended the wall, with these comments:
Grey Ruegamer: DeflateGate Punishment, Like Violation, Should Be Minor - NESN.com
No one is arguing that the New England Patriots shouldn’t be punished if the NFL finds they intentionally under-inflated footballs during their AFC Championship Game win over the Indianapolis Colts. But should the Patriots lose their spot in Super Bowl XLIX or should coach Bill Belichick be...
nesn.com
“If the quarterback wants to throw a beach ball or a shot put, so what? If the NFL was so worried about competitive advantage, why would they let teams use footballs all week for the game and only then provide brand new kicking balls pregame?”
“The talking heads are trying to manufacture that it’s some significant competitive advantage to have a slightly deflated football. If that were the case then they should ban every conceivable ‘competitive advantage,’ like receivers’ gloves, taped ankles and strength and conditioning coaches.”
“Odell Beckham likely doesn’t make that amazing catch without gloves. Jerome Bettis may have fumbled a lot more in his stellar career without those big neoprene sleeves on his arms to hold the ball in place. DeMarco Murray may not have played as well without piles of ankle tape help him make sharp cuts. And J.J. Watt may not have been the defensive machine he was because of his offseason training. All, at the end of the day, provide some form of competitive advantage depending on the quality and application of use.”
As a rookie with Miami, Grey Ruegamer never saw the field once; he was a healthy scratch for all but one game, and receives zero snaps in the one game he did dress. The Dolphins waived him near the end of training camp the following year in 2000 - making him a draft bust of epic proportions in comparison to those that we on this board so often complain about. Pittsburgh signed him to their practice squad, and from there the Pats signed him to their active roster. Grey became an unrestricted free agent in 2003 and signed with the Packers. The following year he was a starter at center when Green Bay set offensive franchise records that still stands for fewest sacks allowed (14) , as well as now broken records for most first downs (354), most net yards (6,357), and net passing yards (4,449). Grey last played for the Giants in 2008, and owns two super bowl rings: one with the Pats in 2001, the other with New York from 2007. Ruegamer played three seasons each in front of three very well known quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Eli Manning.
On a side note, there was an interesting path as to how Miami ended up with the 72nd pick of the 1999 draft. which the Dolphins used to select Ruegamer:
1) Feb 18, 1998: Baltimore trades their third round pick (#72) of the 1999 draft to Tampa Bay for RB Errict Rhett.
2) April 19, 1998: The Bucs trade that draft pick back to the Ravens, for a 1998 fourth round pick.
3) March 17, 1999: Detroit trades QB Scott Mitchell to Baltimore for their third round pick (#72), and a 2000 conditional pick.
4) April 17, 1999: The Lions trade up two spots in the draft, sending #72 and a seventh round pick to Miami for #70.
5) Years Later: With the benefit of draft hindsight, Miami fans gnash their teeth. Detroit used their pick on DE Jared DeVries, who would play with the Lions for ten seasons. And one pick after the Ruegamer selection, Pittsburgh takes LB Joey Porter, who was named to three Pro Bowls while with the Steelers.
Grey Ruegamer - Official New England Patriots Biography
Grey Ruegamer was born in Scottsdale, Arizona on June 10, 1976 … Attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas … Voted team’s MVP his senior year … Posted an undefeated record as a heavyweight wrestler his junior year … Also lettered in track, where he competed in the shot put and the discus …
Grey Ruegamer was signed to the Patriots 53-man roster from the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad on Nov. 16, 2000 ... Originally a third-round draft choice (72nd overall) of the Miami Dolphins in 1999 ... Released from the Dolphins following training camp in 2000 ... Signed onto the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad (8/29/00) … Re-signed with the Patriots (4/19/02).
Made his first career start at center vs. Indianapolis (9/30/01) and blocked for a rushing attack which gained 177 yards and scored three touchdowns in 44-13 victory over the Colts.
Ruegamer was a four-year letterman (1995-98) and starter at Arizona State … Started every game at center his senior year … Earned a Walter Camp All-America selection and a first-team All-Pac 10 choice … One of 12 finalists for the Lombardi Award … Graded out at 87 percent while posting 72 knockdown blocks as a senior for an offense that amassed 4,530 yards … Earned All-Pac 10 honors as a junior … Opened his junior season as the team’s starting left tackle before moving to center for the final six contests … Received honorable mention all-conference accolades as a sophomore when he saw time at both tackle and center.
2000 Season
Signed with the Patriots on Nov. 16, 2000 after spending the first 11 weeks of season on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad … Participated as third tight end and on special teams with the Patriots. Cincinnati (11/19): Made his NFL debut against the Bengals. Kansas City (12/4): Called into action when left guard Joe Andruzzi injured his leg in the third quarter.
2002 Season
at San Diego (9/29): Started at center and played most of the game as part of an offensive line that did not allow a sack for the second time in three weeks … Helped clear the way for Antowain Smith to average 4.9 yards per carry. at Miami (10/6): Started at center and played most of the game as part of an offensive line that did not allow a sack in the second half as the Patriots attempted 24 passes. Green Bay (10/13): Inactive. Denver (10/27): Inactive. at Buffalo (11/3): Inactive. at Chicago (11/10): Stepped in for an injured Joe Andruzzi at right guard in the second half of the Patriots 33-30 win over the Bears in Champaign, Ill. … Part of a Patriots offensive line that allowed only one sack on 39 pass attempts in the second half … Helped pave the way for Brady to pick up a crucial first down on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-three on the game-winning touchdown drive. at Oakland (11/17): Saw time at right guard in the second half in place of an injured Joe Andruzzi. at Detroit (11/28): Participated on special teams and as a reserve on the offensive line in the Patriots 20-12 win over the Lions on Thanksgiving. Buffalo (12/8): Saw time at center in the second half of the Patriots 27-17 win over the Bills … Part of an offensive line that did not allow a sack while paving the way for 92 yards rushing. at Tennessee (12/16): Saw action at center in the second half … Paved the way for Tom Brady’s first career rushing touchdown, a 10-yard quarterback sneak in the first quarter. N.Y. Jets (12/22): Lined up as an eligible receiver at tight end four times and participated in the kicking game.
After being named the club's director of player engagement on July 31, 2017, Grey Ruegamer enters his seventh season in the role and 10th year overall in Green Bay after playing three seasons (2003-05) with the Packers as an offensive lineman.
As the director of player engagement, Ruegamer is vital in maintaining locker-room cohesiveness and overall player health. He assists players in acclimating to their roles, both on and off the field and in the Green Bay community, and adapting to a new life in Green Bay.
Ruegamer also oversees the Packers' wide range of programs designed to meet the needs of players and their families in today's NFL. The department provides a framework of assistance within which players and their immediate family members can address the pressures created by daily life and complicated by the demands of playing professional football. The program is also set up to get players prepared for life after football, and helps them seek educational and vocational opportunities.
Ruegamer played 10 total seasons in the NFL on the offensive line, appearing in 124 games with 17 starts during the regular season and 12 contests with two starts in the postseason. After originally being selected by Miami in the third round (No. 72 overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft and spending one season with the Dolphins, he spent three seasons with the New England Patriots (2000-02) before spending his three seasons in Green Bay and playing the final three seasons of his career with the N.Y. Giants (2006-08). Ruegamer was a member of two Super Bowl champion teams, the 2001 Patriots and the 2007 Giants.
Once his playing career wrapped up, Ruegamer spent three years (2009-10, 2013) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Washington. He also earned his bachelor's degree from Arizona State in liberal studies as well as his master's degree in health and human performance from California University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to his current role, Ruegamer was a certified wellness coach and worked at The Summit Medical Fitness Center in Kalispell, Mont., from 2014-16.
A 1998 Walter Camp All-America honoree, first-team All-Pacific-10 selection and one of 12 finalists for the Lombardi Award, Ruegamer was a four-year starter at Arizona State (1995-98). He was inducted into the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.
A native of Las Vegas, Ruegamer currently resides with his wife in Green Bay.
A seasoned playoff participant, Ruegamer has now played in six postseason contests with one start -- including the Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVI victory over the St. Louis Rams.
"Grey is a good person, a great individual," says offensive line coach Larry Beightol. "He does a lot in the community, especially with schools -- he's a model guy. I have nothing but respect and admiration for him. That's the kind of person he is and he'll do whatever it takes, he puts a lot into everything."
What were you feeling when you played your first professional game?
I was nervous. I was just hoping that I wouldn't mess up. My first game was with New England and we played the Bengals. I was excited and nervous and just hoping that I wouldn't make an assignment error.
Who do you think is the greatest clutch performer of all-time?
It's got to be the Boston Red Sox last year. Everyone thought they were down and out and then they came back and proved that anything goes. You should never count anyone out. They were the perfect example of that.
A Grey Ruegamer prank once forced Rich Seubert to sell his truck
Former New York Giants LS Grey Ruegamer once pulled a prank that forced Rich Seubert to sell his truck.
sports.yahoo.com
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 16: Quarterback Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots calls out the signals as he waits for the snap from center Grey Ruegamer #67 during the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at the Coliseum on December 16, 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans won 37-24.
The 2001 New England Patriots
