Sports Heroes Who Served: Navy Enlistment Helped Spark Football Legend's Career

Daniel Eugene “Rudy” Ruettiger became a famous college football athlete, but he got his big start by joining the Navy in 1968 and serving two years at sea as a yeoman.

Using his Vietnam GI Bill benefits, he enrolled in Indiana’s Holy Cross College in 1972 and then at the University of Notre Dame in 1974, playing in the Orange Bowl in 1975 and the Gator Bowl in 1976 — the year he graduated.

Despite being undersized for a football player — 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 165 pounds—Ruettiger was accepted as a defensive end on Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish football team due to his drive and determination.

His claim to fame was brief, but spectacular. On Nov. 8, 1975, he was put in the game against Georgia Institute of Technology. During the final play of the game, he sacked Georgia Tech quarterback Rudy Allen.

Ruettiger’s teammates were ecstatic, and they carried him off the field; at the time, he was the only player ever to receive such an honor.

The story of the undersized young man being allowed to play and sacking the opposition’s quarterback led to the 1993 movie “Rudy” based on Ruettiger’s short football career. Ruettiger was played by actor Sean Astin.

Ruettiger actually appeared in the movie as a fan in the final scene. Although Hollywood often takes liberties to make events more dramatic when making films based on true stories, Ruettiger said the film was 92% accurate.

These days, Ruettiger likes to visit service members and give motivational speeches.

During one such visit to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, on Oct. 7, 2010, he told the soldiers that “the Navy actually changed my thinking around, my attitude around, and who I was.”

Ruettiger said members of the armed forces are great Americans. “This is an honor for me to come here. I’m real humbled and real privileged,” he said.

During his motivational speech he talked about how everyone has the potential to be whatever they want to be.

“It’s not your age, it’s your attitude,” he said, adding that people who work hard deserve a shot.

Ruettiger also told the soldiers all it takes to succeed is what he called the four Cs: character, courage, commitment and contribution. “The little things make a big difference,” he said. 

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