View source for Joe DeLamielleure

{{Short description|American football player (born 1951)}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image         =
| caption       = Delamielleure's bust in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.
| position      = [[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]]
| number        = 68, 64
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1951|3|16}}
| birth_place   = [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date    = 
| height_ft     = 6
| weight_lb     = 254
| height_in     = 3
| draftyear     = 1973
| draftround    = 1
| draftpick     = 26
| high_school   = [[St. Clement High School|Center Line (MI) St. Clement]]
| college       = [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan State]]
| teams         =
* [[Buffalo Bills]] ([[1973 NFL season|1973]]–[[1979 NFL season|1979]])
* [[Cleveland Browns]] ([[1980 NFL season|1980]]–[[1984 NFL season|1984]])
* Buffalo Bills ([[1985 NFL season|1985]])
* [[Charlotte Rage]] ({{AFL Year|1992}})
| highlights    =
* 3× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1975 All-Pro Team|1974]]–[[1977 All-Pro Team|1977]])
* 4× Second-team All-Pro ([[1978 All-Pro Team|1978]]–[[1980 All-Pro Team|1980]], [[1983 All-Pro Team|1983]])
* 6× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1976 Pro Bowl|1975]]–[[1981 Pro Bowl|1980]])
* [[NFL 1970s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor]]
* [[Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame]]
* [[Buffalo Bills#50th Anniversary Team|Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team]]
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1972 College Football All-America Team|1972]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Big Ten Conference football teams|All-Big Ten]] ([[1971 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1971]], [[1972 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1972]])
* Second-team All-Big Ten ([[1970 All-Big Ten Conference football team|1970]])
| statlabel1    = Games played
| statvalue1    = 185
| statlabel2    = Games started
| statvalue2    = 178
| statlabel3    = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3    = 7
| pfr           = DeLaJo01
| HOF           = joe-delamielleure
| aflstatlabel1 = Tackles
| aflstatvalue1 = 2
| afl           = 415 
}}

'''Joseph Michael DeLamielleure ''' ({{IPAc-en|d|ə|ˌ|l|ɑː|m|ə|ˈ|l|ɔər}} {{respell|də|LAH|mə|LOR}}; born March 16, 1951) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[Guard (gridiron football)|guard]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He was an [[All-America]]n playing [[college football]] for the [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan State Spartans]]. 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 [[Cardiac arrhythmia|irregular heartbeat]] was not serious. In [[1973 Buffalo Bills season|1973]] the Buffalo Bills rushing offense led the NFL in yards, yards per carry, as well as rushing touchdowns. He is also one of the first living NFL players to be tested and diagnosed with CTE ([[Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9931754 |title=OTL: Ex-NFL stars show CTE signs |date=April 17, 2017 |last1= Weinbaum |first1= William |last2= Delsohn |first2= Steve |website=ESPN.com |language=en |access-date=July 11, 2019}}</ref>

==Playing career==
DeLamielleure was perhaps the central figure in the "[[History of the Buffalo Bills#1970.E2.80.931977: The O.J. Simpson-.22Electric Company.22 era|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.<ref>[http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=54 Member profile]</ref>

The league-leading rushing yardage mark of 3,088 yards is still the 14-game record. Only the [[1978 New England Patriots season|1978 New England Patriots]] have bettered that mark and did it in 16 games. Individually, Simpson led the NFL in all four major rushing categories. Joe also had the longest run in the NFL. The 2,003 yards Simpson rushed for is still the 14 game record ([[Eric Dickerson]], [[Barry Sanders]], [[Terrell Davis]], [[Jamal Lewis (American football)|Jamal Lewis]], [[Chris Johnson (running back)|Chris Johnson]], [[Adrian Peterson]] and [[Derrick Henry]] achieved their marks in 16 games). DeLamielleure was also on the kickoff return team that blocked for [[Wallace Francis]], who led NFL with two return touchdowns. 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 the most potent offenses of the decade. They led the 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" achieved his second "quadruple crown" in three years and also had the longest run in NFL. Individually, DeLamielleure was named First-team All-Pro.

*1976: Simpson again lead the NFL in rushing and DeLamielleure is named a First-team All-Pro.
*1977: With Simpson injured at mid-season, the Bills pass more often, leading the NFL in passing yards and total passing attempts.
*1978: With Simpson traded, Bills running back [[Terry Miller (running back)|Terry Miller]] takes over and is 9th in the NFL in rushing.

DeLamielleure was named an All-Pro six times and was named to the [[Pro Bowl]] six times. In 1975, DeLamielleure was named by the [[National Football League Players' Association|NFLPA]] as Offensive Lineman of the Year. In 1973, DeLamielleure was Co-Offensive Linemen of the Year as awarded by the 1000 Yard Rusher Club, Columbus, Ohio. In 1977, DeLamielleure received the [[Forrest Gregg]] Award as the NFL's Top Offensive Lineman for that season.

In 1980, DeLamielleure was traded to the [[Cleveland Browns]] where he blocked for his 2nd [[NFL MVP]], [[Brian Sipe]]. DeLamielleure became the 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 1,000-yard runner (Mike Pruitt). During his five years with Cleveland, he played every game. In 1979, DeLamielleure was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team. He played his final year in the NFL, 1985, back with the [[Buffalo Bills]].

In 1992, DeLamielleure had a short stint with the [[Charlotte Rage]] of the [[Arena Football League]].<ref>[http://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=415 ArenaFan Online Page]</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrinegame.com/halloffame.php |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721114802/http://www.shrinegame.com/halloffame.php |archive-date=July 21, 2009 }}</ref>

==After football==
DeLamielleure was a key advocate for retired players of the league in need of financial assistance. As such, he was often a critic of [[Gene Upshaw]], the head of the Players Union when it came to attending to the needs of older players in terms of medical and financial help in favor of current players.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 5, 2007 |title=Report: Upshaw critic thinks threat real |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2893714 |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/189/bitter-rival-mourns-upshaw-s-passing | title=Bitter rival mourns Upshaw's passing | date=August 21, 2008 }}</ref> DeLamielleure, along with other former greats such as [[Mike Ditka]] announced the first Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund auction in 2007, and he stated that both Upshaw and former NFL commissioner [[Paul Tagliabue]] had "done nothing" when it comes to older players.

DeLamielleure was a promoter of the [[All-American Football League]], a spring league that hoped to fill a void of the now-defunct [[NFL Europe]]. The AAFL planned to take collegiate players provided they've earned a four-year college degree. However, the league did not play a game.

In 2009, DeLamielleure and his two former college teammates at [[Michigan State University]] embarked on a bicycle ride from [[East Lansing, Michigan]] to the site of "The City of the Children" orphanage in Mexico. The bike tour was to raise funds needed to complete construction and provide the necessary resources to support the abandoned, abused and neglected children of that region.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/delamielleure-to-bike-2000-miles-for-orphanage/14cb450e-3065-42ff-bd30-03f610390f31 |title=Buffalo Bills.com |access-date=April 2, 2009 |archive-date=March 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330200834/http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/delamielleure-to-bike-2000-miles-for-orphanage/14cb450e-3065-42ff-bd30-03f610390f31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2013, DeLamielleure was diagnosed with early signs of [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]] (CTE).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/three-former-nfl-stars-diagnosed-with-telltale-signs-of-cte/ | title=Three Former NFL Stars Diagnosed with Telltale Signs of CTE | website=[[PBS]] }}</ref>

In 2016, DeLamielleure appeared in the [[89th Academy Awards|Academy Award]]-winning documentary ''[[O.J.: Made in America]]'', discussing Simpson's time in Buffalo and his demeanor as a teammate.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newsweek.com/craziest-moments-and-quotes-oj-made-america-474222 | title=The Craziest Moments and Quotes from 'O.J.: Made in America' | website=[[Newsweek]] | date=June 24, 2016 }}</ref>

==Coaching career==
DeLamielleure served as an offensive line coach under [[Sam Rutigliano]] for two seasons at [[Liberty Flames football|Liberty University]], before going on to coach at [[Duke Blue Devils football|Duke University]] in the same role from 1996 to 2000.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/classic/s/2003/0802/1589068.html ESPN.com]</ref> He later coached in the [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] area with the Private Coaching Service [[CoachUp]].<ref>[http://www.coachup.com/coaches/joed-11 www.coachup.com/coaches/joed-11]</ref>

== Notes ==
*In 1969, DeLamielleure graduated from St. Clement High School in Center Line, MI.  Joe is the only NFL football player ever from that school.
*In 1975, DeLamielleure was the NFLPA  AFC [[Arm Wrestling]] Champion (he lost the final to Ed White).
*In 1978, DeLamielleure was the NFLPA NFL [[Racquetball]] Champion.
*In 1979, DeLamielleure was NFLPA  AFC Racquetball champion (he lost the final to the NFC competitor [[Rafael Septién]] who was 5'9" and 160 pounds).
*In 1982, DeLamielleure competed in the NFL's Strongest Man Competition. The other contestants were [[Lyle Alzado]], [[John Matuszak]], [[Mike Webster]], [[Steve Furness]], [[Curt Marsh]], and [[Bob Young (offensive lineman)|Bob Young]]. Only Marsh and DeLamielleure are still living and Marsh has had a leg amputated.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Springer |first1=Steve |title=He Gave His All : For Ex-Raider Marsh, That Meant His Right Leg, Which Was Amputated After Years of Pain |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-27-sp-28528-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 27, 1995 |access-date=March 13, 2020}}</ref>
*In 2004, DeLamielleure was inducted into the [[Michigan Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>[http://www.mshof.org/#!roster/c18io DeLamielleure inducted into Michigan Sports Hall of Fame], mshof.org; accessed June 28, 2015.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{1973 NFL Draft}}
{{BillsFirstPick}}
{{Bills1973DraftPicks}}
{{NFL1970s}}
{{Buffalo Bills}}
{{Buffalo Bills 50th Season All-time Team}}
{{Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame}}
{{Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor}}
{{2003 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delamielleure, Joe}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American football offensive linemen]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bills players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Browns players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Michigan State Spartans football players]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Charlotte Rage players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Detroit]]