Jake Scott

Jacob E. Scott III (July 20, 1945 – November 19, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a free safety and punt returner from 1970 to 1978 for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). Scott went to the Pro Bowl five consecutive times between 1971 and 1975. He recorded 35 interceptions in his six seasons as a Dolphin, and another 14 in his three years with the Redskins. He was also a five-time All-Pro and was the MVP of Super Bowl VII.

For other people named Jake Scott, see Jake Scott (disambiguation).

Jake Scott
No. 13
Position:Safety, return specialist
Personal information
Born:(1945-07-20)July 20, 1945
Greenwood, South Carolina, U.S.
Died:November 19, 2020(2020-11-19) (aged 75)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:188 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High school:Arlington (VA) Washington–Lee
College:Georgia
NFL Draft:1970 / Round: 7 / Pick: 159
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:126
Games started:126
Interceptions:49
INT return yards:551
Return yards:1,474
Player stats at NFL.com

Scott wore number 13 throughout his career, which was later made famous in Miami by Dan Marino, and has since been retired in Marino's honor.

College career

After growing up in Athens, Georgia, but playing high school football in Arlington, Virginia at Washington-Lee High School, Scott played college football at the University of Georgia, where he led Georgia in interceptions in 1967 with six interceptions and 1968 with ten interceptions. In 1967, Scott was named first-team All-SEC defensive back by the Associated Press, and in 1968 again in both the AP and the UPI. The ten interceptions in a season is now second-most in Georgia history behind Terry Hoage’s 12 in 1982. Scott's 175 return yards on interceptions in 1968 is also second all-time for Georgia.

Scott's college career total of 315 interception return yards is the most in school history. He also holds the current Georgia record for career interceptions.

Scott was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Athens (GA) Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.

It was announced on May 17, 2011 that Scott had been selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.[1]

Scott left the University of Georgia after his Junior year to go to Canada and play professional football in the CFL. Based on his July 20 birth date, Scott's military draft lottery number of record was 187. The highest administrative draft number called for Scott's year group was 195, suggesting that Scott could have been, but was not, drafted for military service during the Vietnam War as he had previously served in the U.S. Marines.

Professional career

Scott began his professional career in 1969 in the Canadian Football League as a flanker and kick returner with the BC Lions.[2] He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in seventh round of the 1970 NFL Draft,[3] where in his rookie year, he recorded five interceptions and returned one punt return for touchdown. The following year, he recorded seven interceptions and 318 punt return yards, helping the team reach Super Bowl VI, which they lost 24-3 to the Dallas Cowboys. Scott recorded a 21-yard punt return in the game.

Scott was a key member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins undefeated season, and was named Super Bowl MVP of Super Bowl VII, recording two interceptions in the Dolphins' 14-7 win over the Washington Redskins including one in the fourth quarter. He helped the Dolphins in their 24-7 Super Bowl VIII win, recording two fumble recoveries, 20 punt return yards, and 47 kickoff return yards in that game. He established 2 Super Bowl Records. Scott set a record by being the first player to recover 2 fumbles in one game. He also first established the record for most career fumble recoveries in Super Bowls at two, a record now shared by 12 others. Scott is still the only player to have recovered one of his own team's fumbles and one of his opponent's fumbles in a single Super Bowl game.

Overall, Scott finished his nine seasons with 49 interceptions. He made 35 interceptions playing 6 seasons for Miami, making him the Dolphins' all-time leader in that category. Scott had 13 fumble recoveries in his career. On special teams, he gained 1,357 yards and a touchdown returning punts, and 137 yards on six kickoff returns. Scott played for the Redskins the final 3 years of his career.[4]

In the late 1980s, NFL Films named Scott as the Dolphins All-Time Neutralizer sponsored by Tums. He was inducted into the Georgia-Florida Hall of Fame in 1998.[5] The Professional Football Researchers Association named Scott to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2007 [6]

Scott was one of only three living Super Bowl MVPs who did not attend Super Bowl XL, when all previous MVPs were honored prior to the game; the other no-shows were Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana.[7] Scott did attend Super Bowl 50 and was introduced during pre-game festivities.[8]

During his retirement Scott was an investor in Hawaii.

Scott was inducted with Bill Stanfill into the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll on November 18, 2010.[9]

Personal Life and Death

Scott was a lifelong bachelor,[10] who enjoyed fishing and traveling.[11] A private individual who was known to shun the life in the spotlight,[11] Scott had lived in the Colorado mountains and the Florida Keys, and spent his later years living in Hanalei, a small town on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.[10] Scott died at the age of 75 on November 19, 2020 after suffering head injuries in a fall while walking down some steps. Scott was hospitalized in Atlanta, Georgia.[12]

References
  1. Weiszer, Marc. "Reclusive Jake Scott going into College Football Hall of Fame". savannahnow.com. GateHouse Media, LLC. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  2. "Jake Scott Stats". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  3. "1970 NFL Draft". Football References. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  4. "Jake Scott: Career Stats". nfl.com. NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  5. "Hall of Fame Past Inductees". coj.net. Official City of Jacksonville and Duval County Government Website. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  6. "Hall of Very Good Class of 2007". Archived from the original on July 7, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  7. Miller, Ira. "SUPER BOWL XL NOTEBOOK / 3-time MVP Montana turns down star-studded get-together". sfgate.com. Hearst. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  8. Fennelly, John. "Giants well represented in Super Bowl 50 pregame ceremonies". sny.tv. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  9. Hoffman, Robert. "Who's Next? 11 Deserving Players To Consider for the Miami Dolphin Honor Roll". BleacherReport.com. Bleacher Report, Inc. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  10. Kantowski, Ron (November 23, 2020). "Dolphin's Jake Scott, reluctant Super Bowl hero, remembered". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  11. Belson, Ken (November 22, 2020). "Jake Scott, Super Bowl M.V.P. for the Dolphins, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  12. Habib, Hal (November 19, 2020). "Jake Scott, Miami Dolphins legend and Super Bowl MVP, dies at 75". Naples Daily News. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  1. ^ Super Bowl MVPs Retrieved February 29, 2012
  2. ^ Miami Dolphins player profile, Jake Scott Retrieved Feb 29, 2012
  3. ^ HYDE: Where's Jake Scott? We found him Retrieved December 19, 2006
  4. ^ Super Bowl Records Retrieved February 29, 2012
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