Biography

Rudy Ruettiger- Wiki, Age, Wife, Ethnicity, Net Worth, Height, Career

Rudy Ruettiger

Rudy Ruettiger is a motivational speaker and author from the United States. He played collegiate football at the University of Notre Dame. Rudy, a 1993 film, was based on his early years and time at Notre Dame.

Quick Facts

Full Name:Rudy Ruettiger
Born Date:23 Aug 1948
Age:74 years
Horoscope:Virgo
Gender:Male
Profession:Motivational Speaker, Author, Former college football player
Country:United States
Height:5 feet 7 inches (1.70m)
Marital Status:married
WifeCheryl Ruettiger
Net Worth$550,000
Eye ColorBrown
Hair ColorSalt-Pepper
Birth PlaceJoliet, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
ReligionChristian
EducationNotre Dame
Kids2

Rudy Ruettiger Biography

Daniel Eugene Ruettiger, better known as Rudy Ruettiger, was born in Joliet, Illinois, the United States of America, on August 23, 1948. He is 73 years old as of 2024, according to his birth date, and he is of American nationality.

He was raised in a German-American family as the third of fourteen children by his parents. Aside from that, he hasn’t revealed anything else about his zodiac sign, parents, siblings, or childhood. We can presume that Ruby’s parents reared him nicely as a child.

Rudy Ruettiger Education And Early Career

He struggled academically, at least in part due to dyslexia. He played football for Gordie Gillespie, a well-known local football coach, as a student at Joliet Catholic High School. Moreover, he joined the US Navy after graduating from high school.

He worked as a yeoman on a communications command ship for two years before moving on to a power plant for another two. Despite applying to Notre Dame, his low academic performance compelled him to spend his first two years of college at the adjacent Holy Cross College.

He applied to Notre Dame four times after two years at Holy Cross before being admitted in the fall of 1974. He discovered he had dyslexia as a student at Holy Cross.

Rudy aspires to play collegiate football with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Despite his diminutive stature, he worked tirelessly to gain a berth on the Notre Dame scout team. Merv Johnson was his mentor at the time. After the 1974 season finished, Rudy was given the opportunity to play defensive end against Georgia Tech on November 8, 1975.

He was present for the game’s final play, as well as the kickoff and two incomplete throws. Furthermore, after the game, he is carried off the field by his teammates, marking him the only player in Notre Dame history to receive such an honor.

Rudy Ruettiger Height And Weight

Rudy Ruettiger stands 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 75 kg. Furthermore, he has salt-and-pepper hair and brown eyes, and there is no information about his physique metrics.

Rudy Ruettiger
Rudy Ruettiger (Source: Pinterest)

Career

In terms of career, Rudy pursued motivational speaking after leaving collegiate football. He also started speaking to collegiate and professional athletes, as well as students at schools and institutions. He is also a published author. So far, he has written the two novels mentioned under his name.

Several more works derive inspiration from his story but were written by separate authors. His story was told in the 1993 film Rudy, starring Sean Astin as the lead character.

Angelo Pizzo wrote the screenplay, David Anspaugh directed, and Rob Fried acted as producer. Ruettiger appeared briefly as a fan behind Rudy’s father and brother in the last scene. Rudy was baptized and received membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on January 21, 2017.

Rudy Ruettiger Net Worth And Awards

Our Lady of Holy Cross College has awarded Rudy Ruettiger an Honorary Doctorate Degree. Similarly, he serves as an honorary assistant to Louisiana’s Attorney General. Furthermore, he is the first Notre Dame player to be carried off the field.

He has a net worth of $550,000, as of February 2024, as a motivational speaker, author, and former collegiate player, and he has not disclosed any further information about his income or salary.

Rudy Ruettiger Wife, Marriage

Rudy Ruettiger has been happily married to Cheryl Ruettiger since 1975. Dane and Jessica are the couple’s two children from their marriage.

Cheryl co-founded The Rudy Foundation, which aims to enhance local communities by granting scholarships in education, athletics, and performing arts. Furthermore, Ruby is not currently embroiled in any scandal or gossip.