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Born in Hutchinson,
Kansas, Pat Ryan played high
school football in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He played
college football at the University of Tennessee, and later
played in the NFL for the NewYork Jets for 12 seasons,
from 1978 through 1989, and one additional season, in 1991,
with the Philadelphia Eagles. Today, Ryan builds homes in
Knoxville, where he continues to live with his wife, Debbie.
Caitlin Ryan, 27,
Pat Ryan’Äôs daughter, is also a
world-class athlete: she played softball, basketball,
and golf atWest High School in Knoxville before playing
softball for the University of Tennessee. After receiving
a Master of Science at UT in Kinesiology, Sport
Psychology, and Motor Behavior, she is now an
Academic Counselor at UT.
pro
pedigree
Ryan
Pat & Caitlin
CR:
’ÄúIt’Äôd be 100 degrees
and my dad would throw
the ball around with me
in the backyard for hours
and I’Äôd never complain.
My dad was pretty precise
when it came time to
working on technique!’Äù
PR:
’ÄúWhat I always tell young folks when they’Äôre
setting themselves up to go to college’Äîif they
ask my advice’Äîis that it is important to have a
life plan. Keep things in perspective.’Äù
Photo by Tyler Oxendine
108
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER 201 3
’ÄúI lived in Minnesota two full years. My wife, Sharon, and I moved our entire
family’Äîkids, dogs, and everything’Äî32 times in 14 years. We never planned
on leaving Knoxville permanently. We both love Knoxville. There are lots of
positives about the Twin Cities. But our roots are too deeply entrenched in
Knoxville and we’Äôve been a part of the fabric of Knoxville and Knox County
for too many years. I can’Äôt control my children’Äôs lives, but I hope they stay, too.
I hope my kids stay and raise their kids here. Knoxville is a special place.’Äù
Tim Irwin has been
the Juvenile Court Judge in
Knox County since 2005. He played offensive tackle
at the University of Tennessee from 1978 through 1980
under coach Johnny Majors and enjoyed a 14-year
career (13 with the MinnesotaVikings) in the NFL.
IRWIN
TIM
Photo by Bryan Starmer