Former Giants running back John Tuggle passed away at the age of 25 on August 30, 1986. Notably, he was diagnosed with cancer in 1984, two years before his death.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleJohn Tuggle was the last pick of the 1983 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, which gave him the title of Mr. Irrelevant. Instead of fading away, he made the team and played every game as a running back and special teams standout for Bill Parcells.
Years later, John Tuggle’s life is back in focus. This is because David Corenswet is portraying him in the upcoming biographical film, Mr. Irrelevant, with Michael Shannon as his coach, ‘Parcells.’ For the unversed, Tuggle died of cancer on August 30, 1986, at the age of 25.
John Tuggle's health took a turn just months after his first year with the Giants ended. In early 1984, his personal life was already unsettled after a divorce. During a training session, he hurt his knee and had to undergo a small procedure.
While he was recovering, John Tuggle was riding with a few teammates when their vehicle collided with a telephone pole. It was a low-speed crash, and no one was badly injured, but afterwards Tuggle kept complaining about an unusual ache in his shoulder. The pain did not fade and felt far more severe than what a minor accident should cause.
After being encouraged by teammate Rob Carpenter to get a full medical check, he learned he had cancer. The diagnosis came in the summer of 1984. Treatment started quickly with chemotherapy, yet Tuggle stayed close to the team. He continued showing up to the weight room and asked the strength staff to treat him like any other player. The conditioning coach at the time later recalled how harsh the chemo sessions were for him, but that Tuggle never wanted special treatment and actually pushed himself harder than before.
For the 1985 season, the Giants told him not to come to camp. The idea was to avoid having to release him officially, so his contract and salary would stay active until February 1986. Even after the contract ended, New York kept covering his health insurance. The treatments did not lead to a lasting recovery.
Over the next year, his condition declined. Wanting to be on the West Coast, he moved in with a friend from his college days in California. John Tuggle’s care continued in San Diego and across the border in Mexico. He passed away on August 30, 1986, in Tijuana, just months before the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl wearing his number 38 on their helmets.
John Tuggle was born on January 13, 1961, and grew up in San Jose, California. He played at Independence High School and then spent four seasons with the California Golden Bears, where he developed a reputation as a tough, dependable running back who did the unglamorous work.
In the 1983 NFL Draft, he was chosen with the very last pick, 335th overall, by the New York Giants. The pick came with the ceremonial title of Mr. Irrelevant, but Tuggle quickly made it irrelevant. He became the first player ever taken last to actually make the roster of the team that drafted him. That year was Bill Parcells' first season as Giants head coach, and the team finished 3-12-1.
Tuggle appeared in all 16 games. Teammates voted him the team's Special Teams Player of the Year, and when starter Rob Carpenter was injured, he filled in at fullback. His numbers were modest, including 17 carries for 49 yards and one touchdown, three receptions for 50 yards, and 156 yards on kick returns. Parcells later said he learned more from coaching Tuggle than from any other player in his career.
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