Jessie Tuggle was an undersized linebacker who overcame expectations at every level and wound up making the NFL Pro Bowl five times and led the Atlanta Falcons to their first Super Bowl. Tuggle was a first-team all-state player on Griffin’s 11-3 Class AAAA semifinal team in 1982. He started at linebacker and guard and rarely came off the field. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Tuggle had offers from only Valdosta State and West Georgia. Choosing Valdosta State, just a two-year-old program at the time, Tuggle became a four-year starter, a three-time all-Gulf South Conference player, the 1986 Gulf South Defensive Player of the Year and a 1986 Division II All-American. He led Valdosta State to its first winning season (9-2) in 1986. The Falcons signed Tuggle as an undrafted free agent, and he broke into the starting lineup as a rookie. Tuggle played 14 NFL seasons and made the Pro Bowl in 1992, 1994-95 and 1997-98. Nicknamed “The Hammer,” Tuggle led the NFL in tackles five times and was the defensive leader of the Falcons’ 1998 Super Bowl team. Tuggle is a member of the Falcons Ring of Honor (2004), the College Football Hall of Fame (2007) and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (2007).
The Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame honors and celebrates the rich history, achievements, and contributions of high school football players, coaches, and supporters across the state.
.png){kind=small}