Jerry Planutis

{{Short description|American football player (1930–2021)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| image =

| position = Halfback

| number = 42

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|05|18|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|05|20|1930|05|18}}

| death_place = St. Joseph, Michigan, U.S.

| draftyear = 1956

| draftround = 12

| draftpick = 141

| college = Michigan State

| teams =

• Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1956}})

| highlights =

• National champion (1952)
• First-team All-Big Ten (1955)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 3

| statlabel2 = Rushing yards

| statvalue2 = 6

| statlabel3 = Average

| statvalue3 = 3.0

}}

Gerald Robert Planutis (born May 18, 1930 – May 20, 2021){{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/southbendtribune/name/jerry-planutis-obituary?pid=198759919|title=Jerry Planutis Obituary (1930 - 2021) South Bend Tribune|website=Legacy.com }} was a former American football halfback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Michigan State University and was drafted in the 12th round of the 1956 NFL draft. Planutis attended West Hazleton High School and served in the United States Army. During his period in Free Territory of Trieste, he played football with a local team. He later appeared in two Rose Bowl games for the Spartans, and was head football coach at John Adams High School in South Bend, IN. He also head coached at Bridgman High School in Bridgman, Michigan. He resided in Bridgman, where he was commonly referred to as "Coach."