Joe Gilliam
Gilliam in 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 17 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | December 29, 1950 Charleston, West Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | December 25, 2000 (aged 49) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 187 lb (85 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Pearl (Nashville, Tennessee) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Tennessee State | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1972: 11th round, 273rd overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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Joseph Wiley Gilliam Jr. (December 29, 1950 – December 25, 2000) was an American professional football player, a quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. Primarily a backup, he started the first six games of the 1974 season.
He became the Steelers' starting quarterback in 1974, making history as the first African American quarterback to start a season opener. Despite a strong start, he was benched midseason, leading to Terry Bradshaw reclaiming the starting role. Gilliam remained on the roster through the Steelers' Super Bowl X victory but was waived before the 1976 season. His post-NFL career was marred by struggles with substance abuse and legal issues, including arrests and homelessness. He played in various semi-pro leagues and briefly returned to professional football with the USFL's Washington Federals in 1983. Gilliam retired in 1984 and was later inducted into the American Football Association's Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.