Racism Update in the NFL

I recall watching a Steelers game in 1972 in my college dorm with blacks rooting for Terry Bradshaw to get injured so that Joe Gilliam would come in to play. A couple of years later Gilliam won the job outright over Bradshaw, but was benched midseason.

Joe Gilliam - Wikipedia


The expectations are HIGHER for black qb's
 
I recall watching a Steelers game in 1972 in my college dorm with blacks rooting for Terry Bradshaw to get injured so that Joe Gilliam would come in to play. A couple of years later Gilliam won the job outright over Bradshaw, but was benched midseason.

Joe Gilliam - Wikipedia

Oh I am not saying the NFL has always been open to black and. Just that to say it is today when the highest growth of any race at any position is more black and is tough.

As for Gilliam. He was an 11th round rookie on that 1972 team when the Steelers 1st overall pick Terry Bradshaw helped his team get to the afc championship game that year.

He did get a start the following year when Bradshaw was hurt. His line as a starting QB. 0-7 passing for 0 yards and 3 interceptions.

Despite his awful play in games, he won the starting job in 1974. And after a good first game things started to fall apart. 4 straight games where he couldn't complete more than half his passes. 1td and 5 ints with 9 fumbles in those 4 games.

The Cleveland game marked the end. Coach Knoll realized he had a special team. But against the 1-5 browns that would finish last in the NFL in defense, Gilliam laid another egg. 5-18 passing for 78 yards... And 5 fumbles. The coach went back to Bradshaw. Who despite me regular season struggles, had one of the best playoff runs by a qb ever at the time. And that was that.

Later Gilliam said race was why he lost his job. Fellow African American teammate John Stallworth countered that though, saying it was a combination of ignoring Chuck nolls playcalling, substance abuse issues, and poor play. Multiple other African Americans on the team said the same things. His drug use cost him his job.

Over the next few years he was unable to get back into the NFL as he battled those same alcohol, heroin, and cocaine addictions he fought in the NFL and sadly died of a cocaine overdose later in life.

His lone starting season, his qb rating was good enough to finish 24th... in a 26 team league.
 
I recall watching a Steelers game in 1972 in my college dorm with blacks rooting for Terry Bradshaw to get injured so that Joe Gilliam would come in to play. A couple of years later Gilliam won the job outright over Bradshaw, but was benched midseason.

Joe Gilliam - Wikipedia


The expectations are HIGHER for black qb's

I think they were yes. Gilliam? He was truly atrocious in some of his games and had lots of issues. He still got a lot of shots but could never get his life in order anywhere else long enough to do anything.
 
I recall watching a Steelers game in 1972 in my college dorm with blacks rooting for Terry Bradshaw to get injured so that Joe Gilliam would come in to play. A couple of years later Gilliam won the job outright over Bradshaw, but was benched midseason.

Joe Gilliam - Wikipedia


The expectations are HIGHER for black qb's
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

that is WHY if Cutler was BLACK,he would be out of football by now YEARS ago LUCKY to even be a backup.:rolleyes:
 
I recall watching a Steelers game in 1972 in my college dorm with blacks rooting for Terry Bradshaw to get injured so that Joe Gilliam would come in to play. A couple of years later Gilliam won the job outright over Bradshaw, but was benched midseason.

Joe Gilliam - Wikipedia


The expectations are HIGHER for black qb's
Any fool who goes with a loser because they're white is no winner. Dallas went with dak over romp
 

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