Joe DeLamielleure
Encyclopedia
Joseph Michael DeLamielleure (born March 16, 1951 in Detroit, Michigan
) is a former American football
offensive lineman who was an All-America
n at Michigan State. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills
in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft
. He won All-Rookie Honors, after finding out a physical condition with his irregular heartbeat was not serious. In 1973
the Buffalo Bills rushing offense led the NFL in yards, yards per carry, as well as rushing touchdowns.
DeLamielleure was perhaps the central figure in the "Electric Company," the Bills' offensive line that paved the way for O.J. Simpson to rush for 2,003 yards in 1973, the first player ever to break that barrier, and the only player ever to do so in a 14-game schedule.
The league leading rushing yardage mark of 3,088 yards is still the 14-game record. Only the 1978 New England Patriots
have bettered that mark and did it in 16 games. Individually, O. J. Simpson
led the NFL in all four major rushing categories, a "quadruple crown". He also had the longest run in the NFL. The 2003 Yards Simpson rushed for is still the 14 game record (Eric Dickerson
, Barry Sanders
and Terrell Davis
achieved their marks in 16 games). Joe was also on the kickoff return team that blocked for Wallace Francis, who led NFL with 2 TD returns. DeLamielleure played on the wedge of the kickoff return team his entire career in Buffalo.
The following year, 1974, the Bills improved to 9-5 and made the playoffs. DeLamielleure was voted second-team All-Pro. In 1975 the Bills displayed one of most potent offenses of the decade. They led NFL in eleven categories, including total offense, rushing, rushing average, points, touchdowns and touchdown passes en route to an 8-6 record. The offensive line also allowed the fewest sacks in AFC. Simpson, behind the "Electric Company" achieves his second "quadruple crown" in three years and also had longest run in NFL. Individually, DeLamielleure is named First-team All-Pro.
Six times he was named All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl
six times. In 1975 he was named by the NFLPA
as Offensive Lineman of the Year. In 1973 he was Co-Offensive Linemen of the Year as awarded by the 1000 Yard Rusher Club, Columbus, Ohio. In 1977 Joe received Forrest Gregg
Award as NFL's Top Offensive Lineman.
In 1980 DeLamielleure was traded to the Cleveland Browns
where he blocked for his 2nd NFL MVP, Brian Sipe
. DeLamielleure becomes first player ever to block for a 2,000 yard rusher and a 4,000 yard passer. Of those who have done it since, (Jackie Slater, Doug Smith, Irv Pankey, Kevin Glover
, and Tom Nalen
) only DeLamielleure's duo were NFL MVPs and the passer (Sipe) also won the NFL passing crown. Also, the 1980 Browns offensive line led NFL in allowing the lowest sacks percentage and blocked for a 1000 yard runner (Mike Pruitt). During his five years with Cleveland, he played every game. In 1979 he was named the NFL's All-Decade Team. He played his final year in the NFL, 1985, back with the Buffalo Bills
.
Hall of Fame defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene
eight times in his career. Since Joe D. was a right guard and Mean Joe was a left defensive tackle, they met head-to-head. Although one offensive lineman is not 100% responsible for the opponent on every play, it is notable that Joe Greene averaged only 2 tackles per game against Joe D.
Date of game― Solo tackles, Sacks by Joe Greene (team rushing yards, average, sacks allowed)
Joe Greene's total: 8 games― 15 solo tackles, 1 sack
----
In 1992, Joe had a short stint with the Charlotte Rage
of the Arena Football League.
DeLamielleure was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2003 and was inducted to the East-West Shrine Game
Hall of Fame in 2007.
Joe had an argument with Gene Upshaw
, the head of the Players Union, about retired NFL player's pensions up until Upshaw's death in August 2008.
DeLamielleure currently promotes the All-American Football League, a spring league that is hoping to fill a void of the now defunct NFL Europe
. The AAFL plans to take collegiate players provided they've earned a four-year college degree.
DeLamielleure and his two former college teammates at Michigan State will embark on a bicycle ride from East Lansing, Michigan
to the site of “The City of the Children" orphanage in Mexico. The bike tour is to raise funds needed to complete construction and provide the necessary resources to support the abandoned, abused and neglected children of that region.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman who was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n at Michigan State. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft
1973 NFL Draft
The 1973 National Football League Draft was held on January 30–31, 1973.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He won All-Rookie Honors, after finding out a physical condition with his irregular heartbeat was not serious. In 1973
1973 Buffalo Bills season
The 1973 Buffalo Bills season was the 14th season for the team and their 4th season in the National Football League . The season was defined by O.J. Simpson becoming the first player in NFL history to rush for 2000 yards in a season...
the Buffalo Bills rushing offense led the NFL in yards, yards per carry, as well as rushing touchdowns.
DeLamielleure was perhaps the central figure in the "Electric Company," the Bills' offensive line that paved the way for O.J. Simpson to rush for 2,003 yards in 1973, the first player ever to break that barrier, and the only player ever to do so in a 14-game schedule.
The league leading rushing yardage mark of 3,088 yards is still the 14-game record. Only the 1978 New England Patriots
1978 New England Patriots season
The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1978 season with a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished tied for first in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Regular season:...
have bettered that mark and did it in 16 games. Individually, O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
led the NFL in all four major rushing categories, a "quadruple crown". He also had the longest run in the NFL. The 2003 Yards Simpson rushed for is still the 14 game record (Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
, Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
and Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis
Terrell Lamar Davis is a former American football running back who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League from 1995 to 2001. Davis was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. Davis is the Denver Broncos all-time leading rusher, with 7,607 rushing...
achieved their marks in 16 games). Joe was also on the kickoff return team that blocked for Wallace Francis, who led NFL with 2 TD returns. DeLamielleure played on the wedge of the kickoff return team his entire career in Buffalo.
The following year, 1974, the Bills improved to 9-5 and made the playoffs. DeLamielleure was voted second-team All-Pro. In 1975 the Bills displayed one of most potent offenses of the decade. They led NFL in eleven categories, including total offense, rushing, rushing average, points, touchdowns and touchdown passes en route to an 8-6 record. The offensive line also allowed the fewest sacks in AFC. Simpson, behind the "Electric Company" achieves his second "quadruple crown" in three years and also had longest run in NFL. Individually, DeLamielleure is named First-team All-Pro.
- 1976 Simpson again leads NFL in rushing and DeLamielleure is named First-team All-Pro.
- 1977 With Simpson injured at mid-season, Bills pass more often and lead NFL in Passing Yards and throw the most passes in NFL.
- 1978 With Simpson traded, Bills running back Terry Miller takes over and is 9th in the NFL in rushing.
Six times he was named All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
six times. In 1975 he was named by the NFLPA
National Football League Players' Association
The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the labor organization for the professional football players in the National Football League . It has been at times a professional association, as well as a labor union...
as Offensive Lineman of the Year. In 1973 he was Co-Offensive Linemen of the Year as awarded by the 1000 Yard Rusher Club, Columbus, Ohio. In 1977 Joe received Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
Award as NFL's Top Offensive Lineman.
In 1980 DeLamielleure was traded to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
where he blocked for his 2nd NFL MVP, Brian Sipe
Brian Sipe
Brian Winfield Sipe is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League from 1984 to 1985....
. DeLamielleure becomes first player ever to block for a 2,000 yard rusher and a 4,000 yard passer. Of those who have done it since, (Jackie Slater, Doug Smith, Irv Pankey, Kevin Glover
Kevin Glover
Kevin Glover is a former American football Center for the Detroit Lions , and Seattle Seahawks . He attended the University of Maryland.-College career:...
, and Tom Nalen
Tom Nalen
Thomas Andrew Nalen is a former American football center who played for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
) only DeLamielleure's duo were NFL MVPs and the passer (Sipe) also won the NFL passing crown. Also, the 1980 Browns offensive line led NFL in allowing the lowest sacks percentage and blocked for a 1000 yard runner (Mike Pruitt). During his five years with Cleveland, he played every game. In 1979 he was named the NFL's All-Decade Team. He played his final year in the NFL, 1985, back with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Joe D. vs. Mean Joe
DeLamielleure faced Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
Hall of Fame defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
eight times in his career. Since Joe D. was a right guard and Mean Joe was a left defensive tackle, they met head-to-head. Although one offensive lineman is not 100% responsible for the opponent on every play, it is notable that Joe Greene averaged only 2 tackles per game against Joe D.
Date of game― Solo tackles, Sacks by Joe Greene (team rushing yards, average, sacks allowed)
- 12-22-1974― 1 solo tackle, 0 sacks, (Bills gain 100 yards rushing with a 4.8 yard avg., allow no sacks)
- 9-28-1975― 3 solo tackles, 0 sacks, (Bills gain 310 yards with a 6.7 yard avg., allow one sack to Lambert)
- 9-3-1978 ― 1 solo tackle, 0 sacks, (Bills gain 100 yards on a 3.4 yard average. Allowed 3 sacks, Shell, White Greenwood)
- 12-16-1979 ― 4 solo tackles, 0 sacks, (Bills rush for 78 yards, 3.3 avg. Allow 2 sacks to Towes and White)
- 10-26-1980 ― 0 tackles, 0 sacks, (Browns rushed for 91 yards, passed for 348 allowed 1 sack for 1 yard)
- 11-16-1980― 3 solo tackles, 1 sack, (Browns rushed for 95 yards, passed for 171 allowed 1 sack for 7 yards -Greene)
- 10-11-1981 ― 3 solo tackles, 0 sacks, (Browns rushed for 166 yards, passed for 279, allowed 1 sack -Lambert)
- 11-22-1981― 0 tackles, 0 sacks, (Browns rushed for 146, passed for 219, allowed 1 sack)
Joe Greene's total: 8 games― 15 solo tackles, 1 sack
----
In 1992, Joe had a short stint with the Charlotte Rage
Charlotte Rage
The Charlotte Rage was a team in the Arena Football League.-History:They competed in the 1992-1996 seasons. They played their home games at the Charlotte Coliseum, then also home of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association....
of the Arena Football League.
DeLamielleure was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2003 and was inducted to the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
Hall of Fame in 2007.
Joe had an argument with Gene Upshaw
Gene Upshaw
Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and later the NFL, later the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association...
, the head of the Players Union, about retired NFL player's pensions up until Upshaw's death in August 2008.
DeLamielleure currently promotes the All-American Football League, a spring league that is hoping to fill a void of the now defunct NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
. The AAFL plans to take collegiate players provided they've earned a four-year college degree.
DeLamielleure and his two former college teammates at Michigan State will embark on a bicycle ride from East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
to the site of “The City of the Children" orphanage in Mexico. The bike tour is to raise funds needed to complete construction and provide the necessary resources to support the abandoned, abused and neglected children of that region.