Joe Rutgens

{{Short description|American football player (born 1939)}}

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

{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| image =

| position = Defensive tackle

| number = 72

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|1|26|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Cedar Point, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lbs = 255

| draftyear = 1961

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 3

| afldraftyear = 1961

| afldraftround = 1

| afldraftpick = 5

| high_school = LaSalle-Peru Twp. (IL)

| college = Illinois

| pastteams =

• Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1961}}–{{NFL Year|1970}})

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 110

| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue2 = 6

| statlabel3 = Fumble recovery yards

| statvalue3 = 36

| pfr = RutgJo00

| highlights =

• 2× Pro Bowl (1963, 1965)
• Third-team All-American (1960)
• 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1959, 1960)

}}

Joseph Casimiere Rutgens (born January 26, 1939) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He went to two Pro Bowls during his nine-year career. He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected in the first round of the 1961 NFL draft with the third overall pick. Rutgens was also selected in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1961 AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.

In 2008 Rutgens was selected as one of the top 10 defensive lineman in the history of University of Illinois.{{cite web |url=http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071808aak.html |title=FIGHTINGILLINI.COM - Rutgens to Attend Illinois Renaissance Celebration |website=www.fightingillini.com |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629045738/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071808aak.html |archive-date=29 June 2013 |url-status=dead}}

Rutgens was an All-American in 1960 and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the Associated Press in 1959 and 1960. He also was a second-team All-Big Ten pick by United Press in both 1959 and 1960.