Thomas Robert "Tom" Ruud (born July 26, 1953, in Olivia

Olivia, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,570 people, 75 households, and 658 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,102.7 people per square mile . There were 1,178 housing units at an average density of 505.4 per square mile...

, Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

) is a former professional football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 player, a linebacker

Linebacker

A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...

 for the Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 and Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

 of the NFL

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. At 6'3" 223 lb

Pound (mass)

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...

, he played college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 for the Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska Cornhuskers football

The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...

 from 1972

1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1972 college football season. The team was coached by Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.-Schedule:-Roster:...

-74

1974 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 1974 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1974 college football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...

. At the 1975 NFL Draft

1975 NFL Draft

The 1975 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1975.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...

, Ruud was selected in the first round (19th overall) by the Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. He played three seasons with the Bills and two with the Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

.

Tom Ruud is a 1971 graduate of Jefferson High School

Bloomington Jefferson High School

For schools with a similar name, see Jefferson High School.Thomas Jefferson Senior High School is one of the two high schools in Bloomington, MN, USA Independent School District No. 271. It is located on at 102nd Street and France Avenue on the suburb's southwest side. About 1,600 students attend...

 in Bloomington

Bloomington, Minnesota

Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...

, Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

. His sons Barret

Barrett Ruud

Barrett James Ruud is an American football linebacker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....

 and Bo

Bo Ruud

Bo Ruud is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....

both played football at Nebraska and were selected in the NFL Draft.