Joe Gilliam: What Could Have Been But Never Was

[anatsusha09]

What's the name of the song at the 4:50 mark

[drttcd]

@anatsusha09 Barry White, "Theme Song"

[kngscb]

GREAT JOB DEXTER!!! I'm 45, so I saw Joe play..........it's sad, but Terry respects him and he respected Terry; too bad he wasn't with us longer......

[mrslick58]

the throw at 3:44 looks so ridiculous to me

[kngscb]

@mrslick58 YEAH!!!!! Joe was legit!!!!!

[sixsixxsixxxx]

A tragic story...sad sad events...Terry Bradshaw is to be commended for his honesty and class

[kngscb]

@sixsixxsixxxx AMEN, Brother!!!!!! Staff, players and fans, WE'RE FAMILY!!!!!

[charesident09]

i just watch this video i didnt know steelers benched him in 1973-74 when they were 10-1-1 cause bradshaw said the organization probaly didnt want a black quaterback starting in pittsburgh the fans media in pittsburgh played a part in gilliam fall..come mon fans threaten to kill his family and fans burned his car and bradshaw got a pass on his mess up playing back then shame steeler fans in the 70s

[charesident09]

its true during an interview with nbc brent musburger(spelled wrong)it was 1995 when the steelers went to the super bowl against dallas joe did say knoll said you like to have fun and you gonna fun yourself out of a job he did it to himself with the drug arrest while playing with the steelers ....the racist letters didnt play a part cause he should have used it as motivation

[ldsdentist]

May you rest in peace.

[Cabque]

Hello drttcd. I will dig up Matlins # for you. He is a great guy. I was even more amazed at his accomplishemts @ Denver and Miami when I saw how small he was. He often played in our Omega Celebrity Golf Tournament with the other Black professional Quarterbacks group called the "Field Generals".

[Cabque]

Yep, Jefferson St. Joe.......I see Marlin"The Magician" Briscoe every now and then at golf tournaments. He has a youth football league in Souther California. Even though Marlin is a Kappa he is still a great guy.....

[drttcd]

@Cabque Right on. Did you ever get to talk to Briscoe? I contact info for him at his football camp. I'm hoping to get him on board in some capacity. Thanks for the comment.

[plntntvzn]

@Cabque I have been able to find bits and pieces of Marlin Briscoe doing the dirty work at WR; blocking, catching the ball in traffic, etc. You could be effective in the redzone because of it, and also because he knew how to tippy toe along the back end line of the endzone. Obviously Briscoe could always be a threat to throw the ball on flea-flickers.

[rikabadd23]

Who was Marlon Briscoe?

[drttcd]

@rikabadd23 Briscoe played quarterback for the Denver Broncos as a rookie. He threw 15 touchdowns his first season. He was pressed into duty because the other quarterbacks got hurt. He was cut from the Broncos and told to switch positions. He never played quarterback in the NFL again largely due to systemic racism.

[Brbos06]

Outstanding piece, not just for it's sports history film value, but for its AMERICAN history film value. This is a story that should be more widely known, and I hope it is at some point. Working for the Sheriff's Office i Nashville in 1999 I came across Gilliam and was told by my father how great the man was in his prime and how he was cheated out of it by the racism of he time. Hopefully those who benefited from Gilliam's sacrifice realize how fortunate they are because he took the punches.

[drttcd]

@Brbos06 I greatly appreciate the reply. Yes, Gilliam blazed a trail for others to follow but most African-Americans in the NFL know very little about his story. I felt a need to share this story because it needs to be told. I'm in the process of making a documentary which will come in around 120 minutes that will highlight his trail and how he paved the way for the likes of Cam Newton to do his thing today. Stay in touch!

[radioRELOAD]

As a white 13 year boy, I made my own Jefferson Street Joe football jersey in 1974, but correct me if I am wrong, I remember Chuck Knoll saying in an interview, nJoe liked to have too much fun? During a practice (in which joe was late) Knoll said to Joe, " you like to have fun joe" Joe said yes i do..Knolls response was, "well, your going to fun yourself right out of a job!" I would be willing to bet This was a factor in benching him! dont get me wrong, i support Joe. but he made bad choices

[drttcd]

@radioRELOAD Not sure if what you put forth or not is true of false but it does not change the fact Bradshaw received numerous chances to secure the starting job after he lost it to Gilliam. Gilliam never got another chance after going 10-1-1 including preseason. Bad choices or not he was winning football games on Sunday. Thanks for the comment.

[JROLL1]

"MY BOY".... STILL BRINGS CHILLS AND THRILLS WATCHING YOU RUNNING AROUND AND "SLINGING THAT ROCK".......

[valreshel]

Thank you for posting this piece. I love Joey or Jefferson Street Joe as we,TennState Univ alumni, called him. Loved his quick release,sharp mind to read defenses and deliver the football with precision. Glad I got to witness his prowess on the field and no one can take that joy away. Joey was Bad!

[MzSufi]

Thank you, Dexter.I will cherish this always.Joe and his second wife Sonja were my neighbors in New Orleans. I will always remember his pain. He nearly lost his mind remembering the mistreatment. He struggled with the demon of addiction until the end. God rest his soul!

[drttcd]

@MzSufi Thank you for the post. I sincerely appreciate it.  I can only imagine his pain which, in my opinion, ultimately to help him die prematurely. If you don't mind, if we could establish some dialogue via email that would be great. I would love to get your take on the pain Joey experienced and what you two talked about. Is that OKAY?

[CityGirlGardener]

Dexter, thank you! At the same time Joey was feeling the pain of racism in his profession, many of us, his classmates and peers, were feeling it in our workplaces. It was hard for us too and that was small in comparison to what Joey was handling. During the same time they were vandalizing Joey's vehicle, the union was cutting the tires on my vehicle because I was hired in a job that was traditionally given to a guy moving up from the shop. We have been waiting on this story.Go Dexter, we got u!

[drttcd]

@CityGirlGardener I thank you from the depths of my heart for your comments. This story has been on my mind for several years. Now is the time for it to manifest. People have simply ignored or dismissed Joey's accomplishments in helping to establish opportunities for the likes of Vick to sign TWO 100 million dollar contracts. His story MUST be told. Please keep in touch!

[HAASPT2]

Best of luck to you, you definitely have a fan.

[drttcd]

@HAASPT2 Thanks. Appreciate it!

[JROLL1]

A GREAT start to your film Dexter. I can only hope it becomes a part of ESPN'S 30 for 30. Good luck.

[johnny10301968]

R.I.P. Jefferson Street Joe.

[alanpaulchina]

It's easy to nitpick and criticize, but thank you for making this movie. It's impossible to say in hindsight what caused what but there is no doubt that he was a talented but troubled guy and that he faced enormous pressures most of us will never fully understand. Not everyone can be Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson and put death threats and hatred out of their mind and continue to thrive. One thing we can be sure of: Joe is a tragic figure. Glad he was able to enjoy life a bit before he passed.

[drttcd]

@alanpaulchina Hindsight is always 20/20. We will never fully know what could have been but we do know what actually happened. Joe was stripped of the job he earned and it was given to someone who did not beat him out. True, not everyone can be Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson but he was still Joe Gilliam: The first African-American to start a season at quarterback. He paved the way for Moon to be in the HOF, for Doug Williams to win a Super Bowl and for Cam Newton to be selected No. 1 over.

[alanpaulchina]

@drttcd Absolutely true. I was not criticizing Joe, but rather pointing out that Jackie and Hank were extraordinary people who performed on the field under pressure and facing down hatred in ways that are barely imaginable. I sincerely thank you for making this film. I just simply don't know why Noll went to Bradshaw, and then to Hannraty. I don't believe it was simply racism, particularly since he did have him start to begin with. I think it's fair to ask what Joe's condition was at that time.

[superclsy]

Here's Gilliam's stats from 1974: 4 tds and 8 ints and he completed 45.3% of his passes. And yet this documentary makes it sound like a racist decision from Noll and the Steelers? Please.

[drttcd]

@superclsy I have seem clips of every game Gilliam played in. And while you are at it why didn't pull up Bradshaw's stats as well? Racism did create a negative atmosphere around his play. If you OBJECTIVELY watched the movie you'd see that. Even Bradshaw himself suggested it should have been AND he didn't beat him our or earn the job. Why do you think Bradshaw asked for a trade?! Perhaps you should check your bias at the door and watch the trailer objectively!

[drttcd]

@superclsy Not assume, but I take it you must not be African-American. I can tell from the stance you take. I have no issue with putting Gilliam's stats up. But put up the ultimate stat: He was 4-1-1 and the team was in first place. Manufacture argument that's objective and make sense rather than trying to be right. Furthermore, I never said Noll was a racist. He was the one who named Joe the starter didn't he?

[superclsy]

Racism is not why he didn't make it. If you nose dive into drugs just weeks after being benched, then you are not tough enough. Plus, Bradshaw was being humble. He was a number one overall pick with a cannon for an arm. Every bit, if not more, talented as Gilliam. PLUS, he took the same tough-love stuff that Noll dished out to everyone (Remember "Franco who?" after Noll released Franco Harris?) and Bradshaw went on to win 4 Super Bowls. Noll treated everyone, including WHITE Bradshaw, that way.

[drttcd]

@superclsy An atmosphere was created for Joe's downfall. Bradshaw didn't have death threats, carry guns, or had to worry about having 3-Rivers blown up before home games did it? Gilliam endured all of that AND still played fairly well. Bottom line: He was 10-1-1 after twelve games he started including preseason. Besides, if Joe couldn't play how did he EARN the job in the first place?!

[drttcd]

@superclsy He was a No. 1 draft pick in 1970. Joe was an 11th round pick in 1972 and took the job from him fair and square. Noll NEVER gave Joe another chance and he gave Bradshaw every opportunity to secure the job. Bradshaw was not better than Joe. Joe was better. If Noll treated everyone the same explain why Joe never got another chance?

[crissingerj1]

Not to be a jerk or anything, but Gilliam even admits that he started using drugs when he was getting beat up by other players...

I don't think you get beat up very much on the bench so he must have started using drugs before that.

[drttcd]

@crissingerj1 Be specific. He started taking hard drugs for pain. The team was 1-1-1. He won 3 straight games. So lets say he was taking drugs during those games. It is not likely he got addicted. And how do you explain Bradshaw getting multiple chances to get the starting job yet Joe didn't get another one?

[jkric67]

It's really hard to say, I believe, that Gilliam's benching caused his drug addiction. Other sources, including the book Art Rooney Jr., contend it was the other way around.

[drttcd]

@jkric67 Well, I believe Joe. The Rooney family loved Bradshaw yet he was beat out by a 11th round pick in 1974 who was African-American. Joe couldn't have been hooked on drugs, go 6-0 in the preseason and go 4-1-1 during the regular season if he was hooked. Just my take.

[drttcd]

@jkric67 He began taking hard drugs after the 3rd game of the season. He took them for pain. He won the next three games in a row. So how can his addiction be the reason when he was winning games?

[engymassX]

Wow. Maybe the team could have won 5 or 6 SB's if Gilliam was there ?

[drttcd]

@engymassX Well, maybe. Or maybe not. That's the point. We will never know because he was stripped of his opportunity and race did play a factor.

[drttcd]

@engymassX He could have. We will never know now.