Phil Villapiano, a former Oakland Raiders linebacker, said he wished the Pittsburgh Steelers had kept Joe Gilliam as their starting quarterback instead of turning to Terry Bradshaw in 1974.
Villapiano made the comments during an interview on The Forum Media Network. He recalled watching Gilliam start for the Steelers and thought the team should stick with him.
"I said 'Leave this guy in forever'. He was terrible. He wasn't close to Terry Bradshaw," Villapiano said. "I would have taken Joe Gilliam any day versus Terry Bradshaw, but the coach hated him."
The remarks referred to a Week 3 game that season in which the Raiders defeated the Steelers 17-0 at Three Rivers Stadium. Gilliam completed 8 of 31 passes with two interceptions in that contest.
Gilliam started the first six games of the 1974 season before Bradshaw took over. The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl IX with Bradshaw at quarterback.
