On January 13th, 1961, John Davis Tuggle was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Anita Faye, his mother who remained steadfastly behind her son throughout his tragically short life. As a young boy, Tuggle and his family (his mother and stepfather, Ron Faye) moved to San Jose, California. He grew up in an idyllic suburban setting there, practicing football with his stepfather and running plays from his favorite NFL teams in schoolyard football games. As soon as he could, Tuggle signed up for the local PAL league, becoming known, even as a child, for his passion and intensity. By the time he reached high school, Tuggle was a beloved fixture in the local athletic scene of San Jose. During his time at Independence High School, he starred in many sports, even setting a school record in the pole vault, but he truly stood out on the football field. He received a full ride to the University of California for football as a running back. While he had an impressive college career, he was never considered to be a particularly impressive physical talent. Tuggle was known for his passion and production, but many scouts were unsure how his lack of truly elite athletic prowess would affect him at the next level. 

In 1983, the NFL Draft was significantly different than it is today. At the time, the draft consisted of twelve rounds for a total of 335 picks. In addition, the NFL had to compete with the USFL, an ill-fated upstart league that attempted to lure top collegiate talent away from the NFL. Despite these differences, the draft was still televised, so Tuggle could only watch helplessly as team after team passed him by. Finally, with that 335th pick of the draft, the New York Giants selected John Tuggle, 1983’s Mr. Irrelevant. Mr. Irrelevant is the somewhat official title that the final selection of a year’s NFL draft is given. Mr. Irrelevant is treated to a Disneyland vacation, a regatta, a roast, and the Lowsman trophy, a pun on the Heisman Trophy. Tuggle had also recently gotten married to his wife, Stephanie, a Raiders cheerleader, at the end of his senior year of college, marking yet another success in his string of good fortune. 

As Tuggle acquainted himself with the Giant’s organization, he quickly won the favor of his teammates, his coaches, and his head coach, Bill Parcells, with his zeal and passion. After an injury to the team’s starting fullback with five games left in the season, Tuggle stepped in and proved that he could be a valuable player for the team on more than just special teams. At the end of the season, Tuggle would be awarded the 1983 Special Teams Player of the Year award by the Giants. Unfortunately, this is where his streak of good luck would end. 

During the off-season, he and his wife divorced, having felt that their marriage had disintegrated. Anxious to return to the field, Tuggle would tear ligaments in his knee in an ordinary jumping drill, requiring a recovery time of six months. While recovering, he noticed a nodule behind his right shoulder, which eventually became so painful that he sought treatment from the team doctors. A biopsy revealed the worst: cancer. Within the span of mere months, Tuggle was forced to the sidelines permanently. As the cancer progressed, Tuggle was encouraged by the team to not report to training camp so that his salary could still be paid until his contract’s expiration date. In fact, the team continued to pay for his health insurance until the date of his death on August 30, 1986. 

After Tuggle’s death, the Giants wore his number, 38, on their helmets for the 1986-87 season in which they won the Super Bowl. His alma mater, Independence High School, still honors him with an annual golf tournament. In recent years, ESPN published a documentary about his life, the 30 for 30 documentary titled The Irrelevant Giant. Tuggle’s story shows us the error in his moniker. He stands as a reminder of the importance of persistence, drive and valuing every moment.