Gillom, Horace

Born March 3 in Roanoke, Alabama was the legendary trilblazing end/punter of the Cleveland Browns, Horace Gillom.

College Career

Horace Gillom played college football at Ohio State University. He was a standout player for the Buckeyes. After playing at Ohio State, Gillom transferred to the University of Nevada. In 1946, while at Nevada, he led the country in scoring and earned First-team All-PCC honors. However, he left Nevada after just one season due to academic issues.

Road to the Pro Game

Gillom's talent was evident despite his brief college career. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1947.

Football Legacy

Horace "Big Horse" Gillom was a versatile and impactful player for the Cleveland Browns for ten seasons, from 1947 to 1956, both in the AAFC and the NFL after the leagues merged. Notably, he became the first African American punter in NFL history. His punting skills were highly regarded; his coach, Paul Brown, considered him the best punter he had ever seen. Gillom revolutionized punting by standing further back from the center (15 yards instead of the usual 10-12), giving himself more room and time to execute high, long kicks with significant hang time, which limited punt returns. He also played end (receiver) and defensive end for the Browns. Gillom contributed to a dominant era for the Browns, helping them win three AAFC championships (1947-1949) and three NFL championships (1950, 1954, 1955).

Accolades, Awards, and Career Stats

✦ 3-time NFL Champion (1950, 1954, 1955)

✦ 3-time AAFC Champion (1947-1949)

✦ Pro Bowl (1952)

✦ First-team All-PCC (1946)

✦ Cleveland Browns Legend (2007)

✦ Led the country in scoring (1946)

✦ NFL Career Stats: 492 punts, 21,206 punt yards, 43.1-yard average (ranked 2nd all-time in NFL history at the time of his retirement).

✦ Holds the Cleveland Browns record for the longest punt (80 yards).