Rutledge coached for 24 years at Missouri Southern after coming to Joplin in 1988 as an assistant football coach. In 1989, he became the first head cross country and track and field coach for both men's and women's programs.

During his tenure, Rutledge was named MIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year five times and Indoor Coach of the Year twice. He was also honored as South Central Region Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year in 1999, 2004 and 2007, and South Central Region Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2007 for his contributions to the sport.

He mentored eight cross country All-Americans and fifty-eight Track and Field All-Americans, including many achieving multiple All-American honors.

The cross country course at Missouri Southern is named the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in his honor. Rutledge was inducted as a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 and the MIAA Hall of Fame in 2015.

Tom and his wife, Karen, have two sons, Chad and Kyle. Kyle was an All-American pole vaulter at Southern and is an assistant track and field coach at Pittsburg State.