Bruce Jarvis
{{Short description|American football player (born 1948)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bruce Jarvis
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 51
| position = Center
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|11|3}}
| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 7
| weight_lbs = 250
| high_school = Seattle (WA) Franklin
| college = Washington
| draftyear = 1971
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 53
| pastteams =
| highlights =
| pfr = JarvBr20
}}
Bruce Jarvis (born November 3, 1948) is an American former professional football player, an offensive lineman for four seasons for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL).[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JarvBr20.htm Bruce Jarvis NFL & AFL Football Statistics – Pro-Football-Reference.com]
Early life
Born in Seattle, Jarvis graduated from its Franklin High School and played college football at the University of Washington in Seattle under head coach Jim Owens. As a senior center in 1970, he snapped the ball to sophomore quarterback {{nowrap|Sonny Sixkiller.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NbRVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6710%2C1530841 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |last=Cawood |first=Neil |title=Huskies hope Sonny Sixkiller will make the difference |date=September 8, 1970 |page=3B }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zaZYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2534%2C4171308 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=UW in must test |date=October 30, 1970 |page=17 }}}}
Buffalo Bills
Jarvis was chosen 53rd overall in the 1971 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills, the first pick of the third round on January 28.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nJJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ifgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5134%2C3686311 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=3 Huskies tabbed |date=January 29, 1971 |page=16}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JarvBr20.htm|title = Bruce Jarvis Stats| website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }} As a rookie in 1971, Jarvis immediately became the starting center,{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1971_roster.htm|title = 1971 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players| website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }} replacing Frank Marchlewski. The Bill had an awful season, winning only 1 of 14 games, the worst offense in the entire NFL, with 184 points (13.1 points/game). Jarvis was injured in the opening game of 1972 season;{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BDkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3lkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6227%2C1994984 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=UPI |title=Bills in 'kneed' |date=September 19, 1972 |page=35}} he was succeeded by Remi Prudhomme and the Bills had a {{nowrap|{{winning percentage|4|9|1|record=y}}}} season, their last on the natural grass of {{nowrap|War Memorial Stadium.}}
In 1973, the Bills opened the new Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, with artificial turf, and Jarvis partly got his job back, starting 8 of 14 games. He split time with Mike Montler, centering between Reggie McKenzie at left guard and Joe DeLamielleure at right guard, for a much improved {{nowrap|{{winning percentage|9|5|record=y}}}} team, when running back O. J. Simpson became the first to rush for over {{nowrap|2,000 yards.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nqtVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6751%2C4639700 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=O.J. does it and...|date=December 17, 1973 |page=3B}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1973/12/24/618480/vintage-juice-1864 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Fimrite |first=Ron |title=Vintage Juice 1864 |date=December 24, 1973 |page=26}}}} During Simpson's rushing success in the mid-1970s, the Bills' offensive line was nicknamed "The Electric Company," as they "turned on {{nowrap|'The Juice.'"{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1975/10/13/613262/the-juice-is-turned-on-again |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Jenkins |first=Dan |authorlink=Dan Jenkins |title=The Juice is turned on again |date=October 13, 1975 |page=28}}}} Montler started all 14 games at center in 1974 and the Bills repeated at {{nowrap|9–5}} and made the playoffs as a wild card team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/buf/1974_roster.htm|title = 1974 Buffalo Bills Starters, Roster, & Players| website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }}
Jarvis retired from the NFL at age 26, during the Bills' training camp in July 1975.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zu9LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Tu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5495%2C3519002 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Bruce Jarvis quits |date=July 24, 1975 |page=34}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Football stats |nfl=2517431 |cfl= |afl= |pfr=JarvBr20 |dbf=JARVIBRU01 |rotoworld=}}
{{Bills1971DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jarvis, Bruce}}
Category:American football offensive linemen
Category:Buffalo Bills players
Category:Washington Huskies football players