Justin Tuck

At 41 years old, Justin Tuck has this physical status:

Justin Lee Tuck (born March 29, 1983) is a former American football defensive end.

He played college football at Notre Dame, and was drafted by the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, winning two Super Bowl titles with the team, both against the New England Patriots.

He also played for the Oakland Raiders.

Tuck graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business with an MBA in 2018.

Personal life

Tuck's parents are Jimmy Lee and Elaine Tuck.

Tuck is married to Lauran Williamson, who is from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business in 2005. She played the defensive back position in women's intramural football and wrote for the student newspaper. She began dating Tuck during his junior year. [1]

In 1973, Jimmy Lee Tuck, Justin's father, built - by hand - the home that has housed his wife and eight children.

During his childhood, Justin was nicknamed "He-Man" due to his large stature. He would run through his home yelling catchphrases from Masters of the Universe such as "By the power of Grayskull!" or "I have the power!". During his youth, Tuck frequently attended Elam II Missionary Baptist Church in his native Kellyton, resulting in Justin becoming the congregation's youngest Sunday School instructor. Justin is cousins with current Los Angeles Rams middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, as well as Adalius Thomas, former Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots linebacker.

After the Giants won Super Bowl XLII, Tuck achieved a new level of celebrity in his native Alabama. "It was interesting when I went home (to Alabama)," Tuck said. "You couldn't go anywhere without people asking for your autograph or telling you congratulations or how proud they were of you and things like that." The newfound celebrity also extended to New York, where Tuck and Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer were honored by Congressman Charles Rangel at the ball field at Harlem River Park on February 20, 2008. The community celebration was in honor of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory. Three days later, he and several Giants players were honored as "special guests" during a historic title unification bout in Madison Square Garden between heavyweight boxers Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov.

The following month, Tuck was again honored for his Super Bowl performance. He exchanged a game-worn football jersey for a game-used hockey stick with New York Rangers captain Jaromír Jágr. After only his second ice hockey game, Tuck quipped "I am hooked. It's football on ice." He is a Rangers fan.

Tuck has participated in various philanthropic causes. Tuck and Giants teammate Michael Strahan teamed up with Nike to design their own exclusive pair of sneakers for ID studio in New York City. All proceeds of the sneakers were donated to Nike's Let Me Play global campaign. Tuck was also featured on the second season of "Cake Boss" when he ordered a cake shaped like a billiards table for the first annual celebrity billiards event for his charity "Tuck's Rush for Literacy."

Tuck and his family have been residents of Fort Lee, New Jersey.

He also served on the player engagement board of advisors of the Alliance of American Football in 2018.

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High school career

At Central Coosa County, Tuck played high school football in Alabama. He was a student at the University of On Monday, he worked for legendary coach Andrew Slome. Tuck's top football teams were the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, but basketball was his favorite sport growing up. Although he started playing football in the seventh grade, Justin only began to take it seriously in his freshman year of high school, where he first started out as a quarterback before moving to tight end and defensive end. His honors include being named Alabama Player of the Year as a senior in 2000, as well as football lettering at both linebacker and tight ends. Tuck had 492 tackles, 26 forcible fumbles, and 17 fumble recoveries during his time at Central-Coosa. Tuck had 115 receptions for 2,106 yards and 17 touchdowns as a game came to an end. Tuck has also earned two state championships as a member of the high school basketball team in the ensuing years.

College career

Tuck earned a full scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame, where he competed for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team from 2001 to 2004. Tuck played sparingly in his sophomore year after redshirting his 2001 freshman year. Tuck, who was playing only 180 minutes on the season, was fired for his first collegiate foul against Michigan State. Despite his limited playing time and one start against Rutgers, Tuck was named a third-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News. In his last two seasons at Notre Dame, Tuck increased his output. He ended the season with 13.5 sacks, 19 tackles for a loss, and three forcible fumbles before going to Syracuse due to a knee injury. In 2004, Tuck became popular in double-team coverage. Despite a lingering knee injury from the previous season and not participating in Insight.com Bowl's loss to Oregon State, Tuck finished the season with 47 tackles, six sacks, and 14 stops for losses.

Tuck, nicknamed The Freak by his teammates for his raw athleticism, has several defensive records at Notre Dame. Kory Minor, Tuck, who set a new high of 22.5 sacks, ended his academic career with 24.5 sacks. His career included 43 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks in a single season, which were also school records. He graduated from Notre Dame in May 2005 with a bachelor's degree in management from the Mendoza College of Business.

Professional career

Tuck also achieved a wind-aided 4.56 in the 40-yard dash, as well as a 380-pound bench press, 560-pound squat, and a 336-pound power clean in the run-up to the 2005 NFL Draft. According to pre-draft estimates, the knee injury will prevent teams from playing Tuck in the first round. He has been described as a "terrific athlete who is a disruptive force on the track." "A fast and agile player with a strong physique for a player of his size," breaks down well, seldom off his feet, and difficult to shift from his angle of attack."

Despite being a mid-first round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, the New York Giants selected Tuck in the third round, 74th overall. On July 29, 2005, Tuck agreed to a four-year $2.36 million contract with the Giants, which included a $737,000 signing bonus.

On the New York Giants' depth chart, Tuck's rookie season in the NFL found him behind Pro Bowl defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, reducing his presence to special teams and the first backup at each defensive end position. Tuck had 14 regular season games, one of which was a kick off and the NFC Wild Card Game. His first sacking came against the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants' NFC East rival.

Tuck's rookie season saw him finish with 33 total tackles, one sack, two passes defense, one forced fumble, and 18 special teams tackles.

Tuck was limited to just six games during his sophomore season in 2006 as a result of his injury suffered against the Dallas Cowboys on October 23, 2006. Tuck underwent successful surgery on November 17 to recover a Lisfranc fracture. Screws were embedded into Tuck's foot during the procedure. Tuck only had two solo tackles in 2006 for the 2006 season.

Despite playing just two games in the 2007 season, Tuck enjoyed his best season to date, with 65 tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles during the regular season. Tuck fired Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora at defensive end, as well as at potential passing downs, creating a four defensive end pass rush with Mathias Kiwanuka at defensive tackle (with Strahan and Umenyiora at the end) throughout the season, with scheme defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo used to harass quarterbacks. Tuck signed a contract extension from the Giants on January 18, 2008. The five-year, $30 million contract, of which was promise, came with a $9 million signing bonus.

Tuck had a spectacular game in Super Bowl XLII by consistently pressuring New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, recording two sacks and a forcible fumble in front of a record-setting American television audience. During particular physical performances, Tuck and Brady exchanged playful trash talk, according to Tuck. Tuck was more deserving of the MVP award than quarterback Eli Manning due to the game's poor score.

Tuck was granted a contract extension with the Giants on January 17, 2008. Tuck announced voluntary off-season conditioning services for the Giants on March 31, 2008. Tuck and the Giants were invited by President Bush to the White House ahead of their victory in Super Bowl XLII. Tuck also learned how to do his hand-eye coordination by boxing.

Tuck was promoted to start defensive end due to Michael Strahan's retirement. When asked about the pressures of replacing Strahan, Tuck replied, "Pressure?" No, I'm smart enough to know that there is only one Strahan and that there will always be just one Strahan, and that there will never be any Strahan. I'm not attempting to substitute Michael Strahan. I'm just trying to step in and do my best to help this football team win. As far as going out and getting 22 sacks in a season, I'm not pinning that pressure on my back." Buttuck began his 2008 campaign in a Michael Strahan-like manner by sacking Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell in the first game of the season opener. The Giants defeated the Washington Redskins 16–7, the Giants' division rivals. Tuck put on an outstanding showing against the St. Louis Rams in week one following his stellar play in week one. In a Giants victory over a touchdown in week two, Tuck finished the game with 2.0 sacks and an interceptor return for a touchdown. The intercept and touchdown marked the beginning of Tuck's professional career. It was his first touchdown since he played at Notre Dame in junior season.

Tuck had 66 tackles, 12 sacks, three fumbles, two passes deflected, and one intercept was intercepted. Tuck's stellar play in the 2008 season earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl as one of the NFC's starting defensive ends. For the first time in his career, he was voted All-Pro for the first time.

Tuck and the Giants are one of the NFC's most awaited Super Bowl candidates for the NFC. Tuck, who was with teammate Osi Umenyiora, hoped to see fewer double teams than he did at the start of the 2008 season.

In the season opener against the Washington Redskins on September 13, 2009, Tuck did a good job. Tuck had two tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and a pass deflection, helping the Giants win by a margin of 23–17. Tuck was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after the game. Tuck was injured in his left shoulder after being tripped by a Cowboys' lineman Flozell Adams in September, which continued his play for the remainder of the 2009 season. He finished the season with 60 tackles, six forced fumbles, six enforced fumbles, and eight pass deflections. Tuck was named an alternate in the 2010 Pro Bowl for his 2009 campaign.

Tuck continued to perform well throughout the 2010 season, and together with Osi Umenyiora, New York's two defensive ends were among the most feared in the league.

With 76 total tackles and six forcible fumbles, Tuck set a new high in his career. In addition, he ended the season with 11.5 sacks, a half a sack shy of tying his career's best 12 sacks from 2008. In games against the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles, Tuck's best individual performances came during his Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles games. In Week 4, against Chicago, Tuck accounted for three of the defense's ten total sacks and had a forced fumble, as well as a stalemate. In a losing effort to the Eagles, Tuck had 1.5 sacks against Philadelphia in Week 15.

After losing to the Eagles, who won the NFC East, as well as the eventual Super Bowl Champions Green Bay Packers, the Giants ended with a 10–6 record and missed the playoffs. Tuck was chosen as an alternate to the 2011 Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams. In 2010, Tuck was ranked 60th by his peers in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

In the 2011–2012 season, the Tuck battled injuries. He played in just 11 games. In the regular season, he had 26 tackles and five sacks. However, in the offseason, he appeared in all four Giants games and received 3.5 sacks, two of whom were in Super Bowl XLVI. The Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLVI. It was Tuck's second Super Bowl appearance in five years. Tuck was a front-runner for Super Bowl MVP due to his appearance in the game, but quarterback Eli Manning received the MVP in Super Bowl XLII. After the game, Tuck joked that Manning "stole my MVP once more." In addition, Tuck's multi-sack Super Bowl appearance made him the first to have multiple multi-sack appearances in the championship game. In Super Bowl 50 and Super Bowl LVI, Von Miller with the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Rams are the only other person to do it.

Tuck signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Oakland Raiders on March 13, 2014. Tuck said he signed the contract because the New York Giants' offer was "disrespectful." Tuck said he still adored Giants' players (Victor Cruz and Eli Manning) as brothers and was involved with his former teammates.

Tuck was admitted to the team's injured reserve on October 15, 2015, due to a chest injury.

After 11 seasons, Tuck announced his retirement from professional football on February 1, 2016. Tuck resigned as a Giant on May 6, 2016.

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