Joe Gilliam facts for kids

Joseph Wiley Gilliam, Jr. (December 29, 1950 – December 25, 2000) was a professional football player. He played as a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. Joe Gilliam was mostly a backup player. However, he started the first six games of the 1974 season.

Growing Up and Early Football

Joe Gilliam was born in Charleston, West Virginia. He was one of four children. His father, Joe Gilliam, Sr., was a football coach. Joe grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He spent a lot of time at Tennessee A&I State University. His father was the defensive coach for the football team there.

Joe showed his athletic skills early on. In junior high, he did tumbling, track, and basketball. In 1966, he became the starting quarterback at Pearl High School. He led his team in the city's first season of integrated football. While in high school, Joe also helped the Tigers football team as a ball boy.

College Football Success

At Tennessee State, Joe played for the famous coach John Merritt. He was named an All-American in his junior and senior years. In 1970, his team, the Tigers, had a perfect 10-0 record. They played in the Grantland Rice Bowl in Louisiana. Joe threw two touchdowns and ran for another. Tennessee State won the game 26–25. They were named Black College National Champions.

Joe's senior year was also very successful. He was again named All-American. The Tigers returned to Louisiana with an 8–1 record. They played against McNeese State. Joe helped his team come back from a 16–6 deficit. He threw two touchdown passes to John Holland, taking a 19–16 lead. Another touchdown pass secured a 26–23 victory. Joe's teammate at Tennessee State was Ed "Too Tall" Jones.

Playing in the NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Joe Gilliam in the 11th round of the 1972 NFL Draft. This was the 273rd pick overall. His first NFL game was on November 5, 1972. He played when Terry Bradshaw was replaced during a big win.

Starting Quarterback Role

Joe made his first regular season start on December 3, 1973. This was a Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins. Before the 1974 season, Steelers coach Chuck Noll said the starting quarterback spot was open. Joe Gilliam played better than the others in the preseason. Coach Noll then named Joe the starting quarterback. He was the first African American quarterback to start a season opener after the AFL–NFL merger in 1970.

After a 30–0 win in the first game, Joe was on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. He had a 4-1-1 record in the first six games. However, he was later benched in October. This was because of his performance and not following team rules. Joe sometimes threw too many passes and ignored the running game. In one game, he threw 50 passes, leading to a 35–35 tie. In another game, he completed only 8 passes out of 31 attempts. This led to a shutout loss for the Steelers.

Fans started asking for Terry Bradshaw to return. Joe was then benched. Bradshaw came back as the starter and led the team to win Super Bowl IX. This was the first of four Super Bowl wins for the Steelers with Bradshaw. Joe spent most of the 1975 season as a backup. He was later moved to third-string quarterback. The 1975 season was his last on an NFL roster. The team won Super Bowl X that year.

After the Steelers

The Steelers released Joe Gilliam before the 1976 preseason. The New Orleans Saints then signed him. However, he was released by the Saints in both 1976 and 1977. He then played for some semi-pro teams.

In 1983, Joe tried to return to professional football. He joined the new United States Football League. He was cut by the Denver Gold but then signed by the Washington Federals. Joe played in four games, starting two of them. He threw five touchdowns and ten interceptions. He was released in January 1984 and retired from football. In 1986, Joe Gilliam was added to the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Life After Football

Joe Gilliam ran a football camp for teenagers in Nashville in mid-2000. He was known as "Jefferson Street Joe." This nickname came from the street near Tennessee State University.

Joe Gilliam passed away on Christmas Day, 2000. He was four days away from his 50th birthday. His daughter is the R&B singer Joi.

See also

• Racial issues faced by black quarterbacks