http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=338&storyID=2404
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
BRONCOS RE-SIGN LB JOHNNY RUTLEDGE
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—The Denver Broncos Tuesday re-signed linebacker Johnny Rutledge, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.
Rutledge, 6-3, 239 pounds, signed with the Broncos during the season last year (11/12) and played the final six games (inactive for one), primarily in a special teams role. He finished the year with one defensive tackle and four special teams tackles. Before coming to Denver, Rutledge was in training camp with Baltimore, but was waived in the final cutdown. Prior to that, Rutledge played four years with the Arizona Cardinals, after he was selected in the second round (51st overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft out of Florida. In 46 career games (4 starts), Rutledge has compiled 43 total tackles, including 21 solo, and has added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
While at the University of Florida, Rutledge started 35 games, and was an All-Southeastern Conference first-team choice as a senior, and a second-team pick as a junior. One of 10 semi-finalists for Dick Butkus Award, annually given to the nation's top linebacker, he moved from outside to middle linebacker and finished second on the team with 105 tackles (61 solo), 1.5 sacks, and eight stops for losses of 19 yards during his final campaign.
Born Jan. 4, 1977, Rutledge was a SuperPrep and USA Today All-America selection at Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Fla., and added All-Florida class 4A and Palm Beach Post defensive player-of-the-year honors as a weak-side linebacker. With 162 tackles and five sacks as a senior, he rated among the nation's top five prep linebackers by the National Blue Chip Recruiting Service.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
BRONCOS RE-SIGN LB JOHNNY RUTLEDGE
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—The Denver Broncos Tuesday re-signed linebacker Johnny Rutledge, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.
Rutledge, 6-3, 239 pounds, signed with the Broncos during the season last year (11/12) and played the final six games (inactive for one), primarily in a special teams role. He finished the year with one defensive tackle and four special teams tackles. Before coming to Denver, Rutledge was in training camp with Baltimore, but was waived in the final cutdown. Prior to that, Rutledge played four years with the Arizona Cardinals, after he was selected in the second round (51st overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft out of Florida. In 46 career games (4 starts), Rutledge has compiled 43 total tackles, including 21 solo, and has added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
While at the University of Florida, Rutledge started 35 games, and was an All-Southeastern Conference first-team choice as a senior, and a second-team pick as a junior. One of 10 semi-finalists for Dick Butkus Award, annually given to the nation's top linebacker, he moved from outside to middle linebacker and finished second on the team with 105 tackles (61 solo), 1.5 sacks, and eight stops for losses of 19 yards during his final campaign.
Born Jan. 4, 1977, Rutledge was a SuperPrep and USA Today All-America selection at Glades Central High School in Belle Glade, Fla., and added All-Florida class 4A and Palm Beach Post defensive player-of-the-year honors as a weak-side linebacker. With 162 tackles and five sacks as a senior, he rated among the nation's top five prep linebackers by the National Blue Chip Recruiting Service.
