Former Michigan Wolverines football left tackle Jon Runyan has inevitably always been compared to his father (also Jon Runyan), who played at U-M in the early 1990s before going on to enjoy a successful NFL career that lasted from 1996-2009.
The younger Runyan is following a similar path, having been drafted by the Green Bay Packers this past weekend after serving as Michigan’s starting left tackle each of the past two years.
“My high school coach always told me to just be me, because my dad is a totally different person,” Runyan recalled. “He told me to set my own goals and my own path, and it was a little bit of a struggle for me in high school.
"I’m not trying to live in my dad’s shadow — I’m trying to step out and cast an even bigger one. The fact that he served two terms as a United States rep in New Jersey is an unbelievable achievement, and I’m just so amazed he was able to do that.
“He did not enjoy the politics side of being a congressman and that’s why he got out of it. You could see the stress on his face whenever he’d come home. He loved helping people but didn’t enjoy dealing with the political side, so I’ll probably observe politics from afar.”
The older Runyan began his pro career with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1996-99, but made a name for himself in Philadelphia with the Eagles from 2000-08. He landed on the Pro Bowl in 2002 and helped lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl during the 2004 season, where they fell to the New England Patriots, 24-21.
“He’s always been very hands off with everything and has been an invaluable resource for me,” Runyan said of his father. “He told me the work is just starting, and now I have a chance to go out to Green Bay and prove myself at the next level — I couldn’t be more excited for it.
“Growing up with a father who played professionally has been awesome. I got to be around Hall of Famers in the locker room, idolizing them and seeing how much work they put in.
“I wanted to be like them and that helped put the motivation, passion and drive into what I do. I know my father is looking at me now and is happy.”
Perhaps the aspect that has garnered the most attention for Runyan over the past few days hasn’t simply been the fact that the Packers drafted him, but instead what occurred on Saturday right before he received the news.
“I was in my backyard texting my agent and typing in the bottom corner of my phone, and when I was pressing a button I declined a call from Green Bay, Wisconsin,” Runyan laughed.
“I tried to call back and it didn’t go through, and I had no idea what I had just done. I got another call from them 10 seconds later though.”
With the disaster averted, the offensive lineman will next team up with two Michigan alums in Green Bay in wideout Devin Funchess (2012-14) and linebacker Rashan Gary (2016-18), the latter of which was a teammate of Runyan’s for three years in Ann Arbor.
“I’d say Rashan had the upper hand on me for those three years,” Runyan recalled. “He’s unbelievably gifted and is a great player and a hard worker, so I’m looking forward to some more bouts with him.
“We got into it a few times during spring practices, but that’s just our competitive natures.”
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