Jim Plunkett is another one of those quarterbacks who developed into a great quarterback with age. While many teams doubted his ability, it took one west coast franchise to turn him into a 2x Super Bowl winner. From an early age, Plunkett's odds were stacked against him from living a prosperous life. Growing up poor in New Mexico, Plunkett was forced to work as a grocery bagger, gas station janitor, newspaper delivery boy while still in elementary school. Fortunately, his skill on the football field led him to Standford University where he would become a Stanford Cardinal legend. After struggling with a thyroid issue and being moved around the depth chart, Plunkett led the Cardinal to their first Rose Bowl appearance since 1952. After beating the Ohio Buckeyes 27-17, Plunkett was named the 1970 Heisman Trophy winner.
The following year, Jim Plunkett was drafted 1st overall in the 1971 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, becoming the first athlete of Hispanic heritage to be picked first overall in the NFL Draft. After some initial success and a gradual decline in play, Plunkett was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1976. After not being able to adjust to his new scenery, Plunkett made his way to the Oakland Raiders in 1978 where he would play his final eight seasons and become a Raider legend. In 1980, Plunkett won Comeback Player of the Year and guided the Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XV and win Super Bowl MVP. Three years later, Plunkett would lead the Raiders to another Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XVIII. Plunkett is the only quarterback to win two championships with the same franchise in two different cities (Oakland and Los Angeles) and is the only quarterback with two Super Bowl titles not to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Plunkett's eligibility for the Hall of Fame is a discussion that needs to be had, the sooner the better.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.