Jim Burt (American football)

James P. Burt (born June 7, 1959 in Orchard Park, New York) is a former American football player who played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). Burt played nose tackle for the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI and the 49ers team that won Super Bowl XXIV.

College career
Burt attended the University of Miami, where he started on the football field for the Hurricanes and was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional career
Burt joined the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1981. He made the Pro Bowl in 1986 and finished his career with his 20 quarterback sacks. Burt was respected throughout the league for his toughness and determination, which resulted in him going from being an undrafted rookie free agent to a Pro Bowler. He is also known for knocking out 49ers quarterback Joe Montana on a pass in the 1986 NFC Divisional Playoff game. Montana's pass was picked off and returned for a touchdown by Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. The Giants won, 49-3, on their way to winning Super Bowl XXI.

Although many people often credit Harry Carson and Lawrence Taylor with inventing the "Gatorade Shower" on coaches following wins, Burt actually created it in 1984. As Carson stated in his 1987 book Point of Attack:The Defense Strikes Back head coach Bill Parcells was especially hard on Burt in practice. Parcells on the Thursday before the game made Burt raise a 20 lb. dumbbell repeatedly off the ground in the weight room for 45 minutes to simulate raising his arm powerfully out of his stance at the snap of the ball. Burt exacted revenge on Parcells after a 37-13 win over the Washington Redskins on October 28, 1984 by dousing him with a cooler of Gatorade. This has since become a tradition in football analogous to the champagne showers teams make in their locker rooms after winning a championship.

Burt battled back problems with the New York Giants which ultimately caused Parcells to announce his retirement in 1988. Burt, however, was not ready to retire and instead joined the San Francisco 49ers for the 1989 season. He won his second Super Bowl with the team when they defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.

During the 2006 season, Burt travelled to Dallas to give moral support to his former tormentor Parcells who was then head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He also delivered a pre-game speech and stood on the sidelines exulting Dallas' defensive players.

Personal
Burt's son Jim Burt, Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and also went to Miami, but played collegiate baseball rather than football for the Hurricanes.

Burt lived in Allendale, New Jersey when he was playing for the Giants. He has since been a resident of Saddle River, New Jersey.

Jim played high school football in Orchard Park, N.Y.; his teammates included Craig Wolfley, who was later an offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Larry Pfohl, who would later find fame as professional wrestler Lex Luger.