Jon Daniel Runyan (born November 27, 1973) is an American athlete and politician who was the
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
for from 2011 to 2015. He is a member of the
Republican Party. Before entering politics, he was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
offensive tackle
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
, where he played for 14 seasons. He was a participant in the
2003 Pro Bowl
The 2003 Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2002 season. The game was played on February 2, 2003, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.
AF ...
following the
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.
The league went back to an even number of teams with the addition of the Houston Texans; the league has remained static with 32 teams since. The clubs were real ...
.
He was
drafted by the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...
in the fourth round of the
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996, at the Paramount ...
and later played for the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
and
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
. Runyan was the last active NFL player to have played for the Oilers. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
where he was a 1995 All-
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
selection. In high school, he had been an All-State (Michigan) selection in basketball and two-time state champion
shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's ...
ter. He retired at the end of the
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th season in the history of the National Football League (NFL). The 50th anniversary of the original eight charter members of the American Football League was celebrated during this season.
The preseason started ...
and launched his campaign for Congress against incumbent freshman
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
John Adler
John Herbert Adler (August 23, 1959April 4, 2011) was an American lawyer, politician and a member of the Democratic Party who served for one term as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until 2011. He lost his 2010 congressional election to ...
, winning the general election on November 2, 2010.
On November 6, 2013, Runyan announced he would not seek reelection to Congress in 2014.
On May 17, 2016, the NFL announced they hired Runyan as their Vice President of the Policy and Rules administration.
Football career
Early years
Runyan was born in
Flint, Michigan
Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of 8 ...
where his father was an employee of
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
.
Runyan continues to hold the
Flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...
, Michigan Carman-Ainsworth Middle School shot put record with a 1988 heave of . Runyan was a two-time
Michigan High School Athletic Association
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Unlike ma ...
state
shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's ...
champion for
Carman-Ainsworth High School
Carman-Ainsworth High School is a high school in Flint Township, Michigan, United States. It is the only high school in the Carman-Ainsworth Community School district.
History
Carman High School opened in 1967. In 1986, the Ainsworth High Scho ...
(1991 ; 1992 ). He was a 1992 ''
Detroit News
''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival ''Detroit Free Press'' building. ''The News'' absorbed the ''Detroit Tribune'' on Februar ...
'' second-team All-State basketball
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
. He was recruited by
Michigan State men's basketball, though he declined in order to play football. He chose to play for the
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...
team where he was an All-
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
selection for the
1995 Wolverines.
Professional
Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans
Runyan was
drafted in the fourth round (109th overall) of the
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996, at the Paramount ...
by the Houston Oilers (now the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
). He played with the Houston Oilers in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
and became a
starter in only the sixth game of his rookie season. He moved with the team as they became the Tennessee Oilers in
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
and
1998, and finally played one year in the new jerseys as the Tennessee Titans in
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
when the team made it to
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV was an American football game played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on January 30, 2000, to determine the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1999 NFL season, 1999 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champ ...
. Runyan was the last active player in the NFL to have played for the Houston Oilers.
Philadelphia Eagles
![Donovan McNabb handoff to Brian Westbrook](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Donovan_McNabb_handoff_to_Brian_Westbrook.jpg)
Runyan was signed by the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
to a six-year, $30 million contract on February 14, 2000 as an
unrestricted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. The contract made him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history at the time. Runyan was selected to the Pro Bowl in
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
.
On March 24, 2006, the Eagles announced that Runyan had re-signed with the team with a three-year contract. He had visited with the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
on March 21 prior to re-signing with the Eagles.
In a ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' magazine in October 2006, Runyan was ranked second on a list of the Dirtiest Players in the NFL. Bills linebacker
Shawne Merriman
Shawne DeAndre Merriman (born May 25, 1984), nicknamed "Lights Out", is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins and was s ...
stated that Runyan "was one of the dirtiest players I've ever been against in my whole entire life. He was real good at being dirty".
Runyan did not deny the charges, criticizing the current game instead: "That's the way the game's supposed to be played. I think they’ve tried to change that over the years. It's turned into a basketball game out there."
In a 2007 game against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
, Runyan instructed Eagles running back
Brian Westbrook
Brian Collins Westbrook (born September 2, 1979) is a former American football running back who played for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft af ...
to take a knee at the one-yard line rather than score a
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
with two minutes left in the game so that Dallas would not get the ball back. Westbrook followed Runyan's direction, the play worked, and Philadelphia won the game.
A 2008 poll revealed that getting blocked by Runyan on a screen pass was one of the scariest things in the NFL.
Runyan held the remarkable streak for an
offensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
of having started 190 consecutive regular season games. This was the second longest streak among active NFL players in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
. He has also started in all 18 playoff games his teams have appeared in during this streak.
On January 28, 2009, Runyan had microfacture surgery on his right knee. In February 2009, Runyan's contract expired with the team. He worked out for the Eagles on September 10, but did not sign a contract. He was signed by the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
, playing in five games before retiring.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
;2010
In November 2009, published reports indicated Runyan was interested in running for Congress. On November 24, 2009, Runyan announced his congressional bid to challenge one-term Democratic incumbent
John Adler
John Herbert Adler (August 23, 1959April 4, 2011) was an American lawyer, politician and a member of the Democratic Party who served for one term as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until 2011. He lost his 2010 congressional election to ...
for , which included parts of
Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, no ...
,
Camden and
Ocean
The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...
Counties. Libertarian nominee Russ Conger and Your Country Again nominee Lawrence J. Donahue were also running. Even though he now played for the Chargers, he maintained a home in
Mount Laurel
Mount Laurel is a township in Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia and part of the South Jersey region. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 41,864, reflecting an increase of 1 ...
, across the
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
from Philadelphia (and which coincidentally also happens to be home to the headquarters of
NFL Films
NFL Productions, LLC, doing business as NFL Films, is the film and television production company of the National Football League. It produces commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries for and about the NFL, as well as ot ...
). On March 7, 2010, the Ocean County Republicans endorsed Runyan. On June 8, Runyan won the Republican nomination.
On November 2, 2010, Runyan defeated Adler 50%–47%, becoming the first challenger to unseat an incumbent New Jersey Congressman since
Rush Holt in 1998. He lost the Burlington and Camden portions of the district, but carried solidly Republican Ocean County by nearly 20,000 votes, far exceeding his overall winning margin of over 6,000 votes. Runyan is the fourth former NFL player to be elected to Congress, after
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp (July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009) was an American politician and a professional football player. A member of the Republican Party from New York, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bu ...
,
Steve Largent
Stephen Michael Largent (born September 28, 1954) is an American former football wide receiver and politician who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. A member of the Republican Party, he serv ...
, and
Heath Shuler
Joseph Heath Shuler (born December 31, 1971) is an American businessman, former NFL quarterback, and former U.S. Representative for from 2007 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition during ...
.
;2012
Runyan was re-elected, defeating attorney
Shelley Adler
John Herbert Adler (August 23, 1959April 4, 2011) was an American lawyer, politician and a member of the Democratic Party who served for one term as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until 2011. He lost his 2010 congressional election to ...
, the widow of
John Adler
John Herbert Adler (August 23, 1959April 4, 2011) was an American lawyer, politician and a member of the Democratic Party who served for one term as the U.S. representative for from 2009 until 2011. He lost his 2010 congressional election to ...
(who intended to run in a rematch, but died suddenly in April 2011). Shelley Adler had defeated Jason Sansone for the Democratic nomination. Runyan won 54% of the vote, to Adler's 45%.
;2014
Runyan announced that he would not seek re-election, after expressing frustration with his fellow Republicans over the
government shutdown
A government shutdown occurs when the Legislature, legislative branch does not pass key bills which fund or authorize the operations of the executive branch, resulting in the cessation of some or all operations of a government.
Government shutdo ...
.
Tenure
Over the course of his tenure, Runyan sponsored 15 pieces of legislation. Like most New Jersey Republicans, he was considered moderate relative to the national party. He voted with the Republican party 92% of the time. Key votes he supported included the payroll tax cut, the
Balanced budget amendment
A balanced budget amendment is a constitutional rule requiring that a state cannot spend more than its income. It requires a balance between the projected receipts and expenditures of the government.
Balanced-budget provisions have been added t ...
, defunding of
National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
, and the Republican budget plan.
In June 2013, Runyan was one of the sponsors to pass an amendment to H.R. 2217, the
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2014, which increased the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants, and the Assistance to Firefighter Grants (FIRE) by $2.5 million each.
On November 6, 2013, Runyan announced he would not seek reelection in 2014.
Sponsored legislation
The following is a partial list of bills specifically sponsored (introduced) by Rep. Runyan.
* (long title: To amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize the volunteer programs and community partnerships for the benefit of national wildlife refuges, and for other purposes) is a bill that was introduced into the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
during the
113th United States Congress
The 113th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2013, to January 3, 2015, during the fifth and sixth years of Presidency of Barack Obama, Barack Obama's presiden ...
.
The bill would "extend through FY2017 the authorization of appropriations for volunteer services for programs conducted by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...
or the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
(NOAA), community partnership projects for national wildlife refuges, and refuge education programs."
Committee assignments
* House Armed Services Committee
** Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
** Subcommittee on Readiness
* House Committee on Veterans Affairs
** Chairman – Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
** Subcommittee on Health
* House Committee on Natural Resources
** Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs
Caucus memberships
* Bipartisan Military Veterans Caucus
* Congressional Brain Injury Caucus
* Congressional Gaming Caucus
* House Army Caucus
* House Air Force Caucus
* House Coast Guard Caucus
* House Guard and Reserve Caucus
* House Oceans Caucus
* House Republican Israel Caucus
* House Special Operations Caucus
* House USO Caucus
*
International Conservation Caucus
* Military Family Caucus
*
Congressional Constitution Caucus
The Congressional Constitution Caucus is a congressional caucus made up of 41 members of the United States Congress. The caucus was founded in 2005; it had 37 members the first year it was founded.
The group was founded and formerly led by Repu ...
Electoral history
Personal life
Runyan has three children with his wife, Loretta; they reside in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. His son,
Jon Runyan Jr.
Jon Daniel Runyan Jr. (born August 8, 1997) is an American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a ...
, played offensive line for the
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...
program and was drafted by the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
in 2020.
Runyan appeared as a construction worker alongside other Philadelphia Eagles in the Season 4 episode "America's Next Top Paddy's Billboard Model Contest" of ''
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' is an American sitcom created by Rob McElhenney and developed by McElhenney and Glenn Howerton that premiered on August 4, 2005 on FX and later FXX beginning with the ninth season in 2013. It stars Charlie ...
''.
In his spare time, Runyan works as an
Uber
Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), package ...
driver in the Philadelphia area.
See also
*
Most consecutive starts by a right tackle
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Runyan, Jon
1973 births
Living people
American athlete-politicians
American football offensive tackles
Houston Oilers players
Michigan Wolverines football players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
People from Moorestown, New Jersey
People from Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Philadelphia Eagles players
Players of American football from Flint, Michigan
Politicians from Flint, Michigan
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey
San Diego Chargers players
Tennessee Oilers players
Tennessee Titans players
21st-century American politicians
National Football League executives