Michigan State University Athletics
DeLamielleure Savors Induction Into Pro Football Hall Of Fame
8/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Palace Guard
Joe DeLamielleure blocked for the NFL's royalty; now he is joining them.
Just Joe
NFL's everyman will get long-awaited recognition.
Aug. 2, 2003
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The happy ending was a long time coming for Joe DeLamielleure.
Eighteen years after he retired from the NFL, and 11 years after he was conned out of $240,000 in life savings, the Pro Football Hall of Fame finally came calling for the offensive lineman.
On Sunday, he'll be inducted in Canton, Ohio, in a draft class that includes Marcus Allen and Hank Stram. DeLamielleure insists no one will enjoy the moment more than he will.
"It makes it all the more worth it. I think you have to go through some really tough times to understand what it means," DeLamielleure said. "You've just got to suck it up. It's true. I'm telling you. There's no way in heck 10 years ago that you would've ever thought we would've got to this point.
 "He was a 1950s guy playing in the '80s, with that kind of dirt-tough attitude. (Vince) Lombardi would've loved him." Sam Rutigliano, DeLamielleure's coach at Cleveland. | |
A man who came to be known as "Joe D" was born the ninth of 10 children in a family that lived in the shadow of a car factory.
He got his start in football when his mother suggested that he could shower at school by joining a sports team - thereby avoiding the long lines for the family bathroom.
DeLamielleure earned a scholarship to play at Michigan State, then went on to a stellar NFL career. In 13 seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns from 1973-85, he established himself as one of the most celebrated and versatile linemen of his era.
In Buffalo, the 6-foot-3 DeLamielleure was a member of the "Electric Company," opening holes for O.J. Simpson. In DeLamielleure's rookie year, Simpson became the first NFL back to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season.
Traded to Cleveland in 1980, DeLamielleure excelled as a pass-blocker, helping the Brian Sipe-led Browns become one of the league's most prolific throwing teams of the early 1980s.
DeLamielleure rejoined the Bills for one more season before retiring, ending a career in which he earned six Pro Bowl selections and was named to the NFL's all-1970s team.
Still, it took Hall voters quite some time to take notice.
The recognition didn't come until football researcher John Turney released a list ranking DeLamielleure as the NFL's third-most accomplished offensive lineman in terms of awards received, behind John Hannah and Anthony Munoz.
It's the same list that played a role in Ron Yary's 2001 induction, leaving DeLamielleure as the only member of Turney's list not in the Hall.
"A wrong has been righted," said Sam Rutigliano, DeLamielleure's coach at Cleveland.
Rutigliano was particularly impressed by DeLamielleure's work ethic and drive.
"He is the old school," Rutigliano said. "He was a 1950s guy playing in the '80s, with that kind of dirt-tough attitude. (Vince) Lombardi would've loved him."
And DeLamielleure loved playing football so much, he might have played for free - which pretty much is how things turned out.
In the early 1990s, DeLamielleure says, his accountant snatched up every penny of the player's life savings - leaving him without money to raise eight children.
Scrambling to make ends meet, DeLamielleure played a season in the Arena Football League at age 42. Rutigliano then helped out by hiring him as an assistant coach at Liberty University. DeLamielleure later was an assistant at Duke from 1996-00.
"I did everything to make up money, and I never claimed bankruptcy," DeLamielleure said. "I'm proud to say that."
Now living in Charlotte, N.C., DeLamielleure sells athletic socks that he is marketing to NFL teams. And the Hall induction also brought him new work, including a job broadcasting pre- and postgame shows for the Carolina Panthers.
"I lucked out," DeLamielleure said. "I think it's a good story to tell for people who get depressed."
And, at age 52 and 254 pounds - close to his playing weight - he'd be the first to sign up to play football again.
"I would, and I'd play for nothing," DeLamielleure said. "The game itself is fantastic."
By JOHN WAWROW, The Associated Press
The DeLamielleure File
Personal Data: Born March 16, 1951 in Detroit.
High School: St. Clement in Center Line, Mich.
College: Michigan State (1970-72).
College Highlights: 1970 Academic All-Big Ten; 1971 All-Big Ten (first team); 1972 All-Big Ten (first team); 1972 All-American (The Sporting News); 1972 East-West Shrine All-Star Game; 1973 Senior Bowl; 1973 College All-Star Game; 2003 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Michigan State offensive line coach (1969-72) Joe Carruthers on Joe DeLamielleure:
"It's no surprise to see Joe DeLamielleure elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm surprised it took so long for him to get there. I watched Joe play this game for a long time, from his days in the Detroit Catholic League through his days at Michigan State and in the National Football League. He's simply the best offensive lineman ever to come out of Michigan State. The Spartans have produced some great ones, but none like Joe. And he was simply awesome as a pro.
"His work ethic was second to none. Joe never slacked off in practice. He was the first guy out on the practice field and the last guy to leave it. I'm not so sure Joe didn't invent the pancake block because the pro scouts said they had never seen anything like that before on film. It appeared that he was super glued to his opponent. Joe wouldn't quit blocking until he had his man on the ground.
"Joe is a good-natured guy with a great, dry sense of humor. He's a great father and a great citizen. Joe is the picture of perfection. You meet one guy like Joe in your lifetime."
Pro Highlights: 1973 All-Rookie; 1975 NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year (NFL Players Association); 1975 All-Pro; 1975 All-AFC; 1976 Pro Bowl; 1976 All-Pro; 1976 All-AFC; 1977 Pro Bowl; 1977 All-Pro; 1977 All-AFC; 1978 Pro Bowl; 1978 All-Pro; 1978 All-AFC; 1979 Pro Bowl; 1979 All-Pro; 1979 All-AFC; 1970s NFL All-Decade Team; 1980 Pro Bowl; 1980 All-Pro; 1980 All-AFC; 1981 Pro Bowl; 2003 Pro Football Hall of Fame.
