Jim Plunkett, Raiders Quarterback September 7, 1981

Confidence shaken, a nearly forgotten Heisman Trophy-winning
quarterback and former NFL No. 1 draft pick waits by the phone.
When a call comes, it's an NFL coaching legend offering him a
job as a backup. He jumps at the chance to go back to work and
leads his new team to the playoffs. Sound familiar, New York
Jets fans?

Long before Bill Parcells brought in Vinny Testaverde to
quarterback the Jets, the Raiders' Al Davis plucked Jim Plunkett
off the trash heap. The year was 1978, and Plunkett was eight
years removed from winning the Heisman as a Stanford senior. He
had been drafted No. 1 in '71 by the New England Patriots and
had won the rookie of the year award. Then his career spiraled
downward. After being cut by the San Francisco 49ers in '78,
Plunkett, now 51, says, "My confidence was at an alltime low.
But I knew if I got into the right system I could excel. I had
won big games in college and knew I could do it in the pros."

Plunkett proved that in Oakland (and later Los Angeles), taking
the Raiders to two Super Bowl titles. He was the MVP of a 27-10
win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Supe XV and led the silver
and black to a 38-9 victory over the Washington Redskins in
XVIII. Plunkett retired from the Raiders in 1988 and now lives
in Atherton, Calif., minutes from the Stanford campus, with his
wife, Gerry, and their two children, Jimmy, 15, and Meghan, 14.

Plunkett owns a beer distributorship and often appears on
Raiders postgame radio and TV shows, but for him the best
memories are of Palo Alto. "My time in college has always been a
source of strength," says Plunkett, who led Stanford to a
victory in the 1971 Rose Bowl over heavily favored Ohio State.
"My closest friends are still from my college days."

Plunkett, Stanford's only Heisman winner, has dedicated himself
to paying back his alma mater. For 20 years his charity golf
tournament has raised scholarship money for the athletic
department. Funds from the tournament have provided one full
ride in football, women's volleyball and women's golf for each
of the last five years. To date, Plunkett's efforts have raised
close to $1,000,000. "I just want as many kids as possible to
have the growing experience in college that I did," he says.

--John O'Keefe

COLOR PHOTO: HEINZ KLUETMEIER [Cover of September 7, 1981 Sports Illustrated featuring Jim Plunkett]

COLOR PHOTO: JASON GROW/SABA [Jim Plunkett]

When Oakland signed him, Plunkett had plummeted from Heisman
Trophy winner to NFL flop.