Joe was a proud graduate of Paul L. Dunbar, Class of 1968. Joe Nathan Gilliam was born on February 26, 1950, the eighth child to Richard Gilliam and Katherine (Green) Gilliam in Fort Worth, Texas. Joe Gilliam, who was one of the first blacks to be a starting pro quarterback when he played for the Pittsburgh Steelers' 1974 Super Bowl champions but who later slid … Joseph Wiley Gilliam, Jr. (December 29, 1950 – December 25, 2000) was a professional football player, a quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League for four seasons. Joe Gilliam passed away in Fort Worth, Texas. He earned the nickname "Jefferson Street Joe" for the boulevard that runs by Tennessee State University in Nashville. Joe Gilliam was the first African American QB named as the starter going into week one. Primarily a backup, he started the first six games of the 1974 season. Gilliam ran a football camp for teens at Tennessee State in Nashville in mid-2000. The obituary was featured in Star-Telegram on December 26, 2019. He replaced Terry Bradshaw in the 1974 season after outplaying him in …

“Joe Gilliam was a Purdue first guy.

He was a team guy. Jan. 12, 2001 -- Joe Gilliam, one of the NFL's first starting black quarterbacks died of an accidental drug overdose, according to the Nashville medical examiner. Throughout his career — we came in together, graduated together — so we were together for nearly five years. Funeral Home Services for Joe are being provided by Gregory W. Spencer Funeral Directors. He furthered his education and played football by attending Henderson County Junior College, later known as Trinity Valley Community College.