Justin Tuck

Justin Tuck plays in the National Football League (NFL) as defensive end for the New York Giants. Born in Kellyton, Alabama Justin was a stand-out athlete in basketball and didn’t really start to focus on football until his freshman year in high-school. However, he was so gifted that he originally played quarterback before moving to tight end, which he continued to play at Central-Coosa County High School. He eventually found his home at defensive end, where he still plays today. As a senior, Justin was chosen as the Alabama Class 4A Player of the Year. He finished his prep career with 492 tackles, 37 sacks, 26 forced fumbles, and 17 fumble recoveries.

With such impressive stats to his name, Justin was a highly sought after commodity. After reviewing all the possible options, he chose to sign his letter of intent to play football at the University of Notre Dame. Justin struggled with injuries throughout his college career, but still managed to set a number of records at Notre Dame. Justin holds the record for career sacks at Notre Dame with 24.5, as well as the records of 43 tackles for a loss and 13.5 sacks in a single season. His athletic ability and superb play in between injuries gave Justin a realistic shot at being a first day selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Justin was selected with the tenth pick of the third round by the New York Giants in the 2005 NFL Draft. Justin spent the first two seasons dealing with injuries and working hard to get playing time behind Pro Bowlers Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. In 2007, Justin showed the Giants that they made a wise decision in drafting the talented athlete as he went on to record 65 tackles, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles in limited playing time. The Giants entered the 2007-2008 playoffs as the number five seed. Anchored by Justin and the pressure-heavy Giants defense, they would go on to win their next three games on the road en route to their historic Super Bowl matchup against the undefeated New England Patriots.

Charity Work: Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy

Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy aspires to encourage children to READ, UNDERSTAND, SUCCEED, and HOPE as they continue to nurture literacy in their lives. This charity program is committed to raise funds to donate books and other reading materials to benefit the local New York and Central Alabama communities. In its inaugural year, Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy donated over 17,500 books to over 1,500 deserving children.

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