The former running back of the Cleveland Browns, Greg Pruitt, was rescued by Cleveland firefighters on Friday. The 74-year-old had to climb out through his car’s sunroof after attempting to drive through the flooded Holton Avenue after a water main break. 

“It was about three feet. Couldn’t see how deep,” said Pruitt to News 8, adding that he was fine after his car got stuck under a train bridge. 

A news report stated that officials were forced to close the roadway between those streets. Fire Division Lt. Michael Norman said that the incident happened around 12:30 PM on June 12 along Holton Avenue between East 83rd and East 90th streets. 

Per Scott Noll of News 5 Cleveland, Monte Madden, a resident in the area whose family owns a truck wash and auto recycling business nearby, had first heard Pruitt’s cries for help.

“We could hear him because he was blowing the horn,” said Madden, who added that he and his uncle helped bring out Pruitt’s Nissan truck from the water. 

Madden reported that flooding is a frequent issue on the low-lying section of Holton Avenue. He added that this isn’t the first time someone needed rescuing on the route underneath a train bridge near East 90th Street. 

“We have to rescue people out of our own neighborhood,” said Madden. “This is what we have to go through because we don’t live in Pepper Pike."

Madden concluded by saying that the consequences could be fatal if the authorities don’t do something to stop the lake-like formation on the secluded section of the street. 

Thanks to the quick response of nearby residents, like Madden, and Cleveland firefighters, the former Browns star escaped unharmed. 

Pruitt had a career in the NFL for 12 years. He was the second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 1973 and stayed with the team till 1981. Thereafter, he moved on to the Los Angeles Raiders, where he spent three years till 1984, when he retired from the NFL.

Greg Pruitt's Success On and Off the Field

Greg Pruitt, who spent 12 years in the league, wasn’t the typical huge size expected of footballers, but was known for his speed and agility, per Jimmy Swartz of Browns Nation.

Throughout his NFL journey, Pruitt earned the Pro Bowl honors five times. He also helped the Raiders win the 1983 Super Bowl - his only college or NFL Championship, per Jimmy Swartz of Browns Nation.

Pruitt was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. 

After his retirement in 1984, at the age of 33, Pruitt was involved in various businesses in Cleveland. He was forced to retire due to a persistent knee injury. He operated an electronics company, became a sports agent, and invested in real estate in Cleveland.

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Written by

Naomi Grace

Edited by

Rudra Dubey