Garry Gilliam

Garry Montzell Gilliam Jr. (born November 26, 1990) is a former American football offensive tackle. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks after the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State.

Garry Gilliam
Gilliam with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017
No. 79, 76
Position:Offensive tackle
Personal information
Born: (1990-11-26) November 26, 1990
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Height:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:306 lb (139 kg)
Career information
High school:Milton Hershey School
(Hershey, Pennsylvania)
College:Penn State
Undrafted:2014
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games played:68
Games started:31
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Early years

Gilliam played high school football at Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He was an All-American, all-state, and All-Mid-Penn Conference selection. Gilliam played tight end and defensive end at Milton Hersey School. He recorded 350 receiving yards, 20 receptions, and four receiving touchdowns in his career. He also recorded 153 tackles, 12 sacks, and five interceptions.[1][2]

College career

Gilliam was a member of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 2009 to 2013. He played tight end up to his senior year. Before his senior season, he asked head coach Bill O'Brien if he could convert to offensive tackle since he knew that would improve his chances on playing in the NFL. He successfully transitioned to the tackle position and started for the Nittany Lions throughout his senior season.[2][3][4]

Professional career

Pre-draft

With only a single year of experience at offensive tackle on the collegiate level, Gilliam was not projected to be drafted and was not invited to the NFL Combine. During Penn State's Pro Day, the Seattle Seahawks were one of the few teams to give him a workout. The Seahawks were forward with their intentions on giving him an opportunity and had constant communication with him up until the draft. They also spoke about using him as a tight end in the future if needed. The Seahawks told him before the draft that they would sign him as an undrafted free agent.[4]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 5 5⁄8 in
(1.97 m)		 306 lb
(139 kg)		 5.03 s1.68 s2.91 s4.56 s7.59 s35 in
(0.89 m)		9 ft 5 in
(2.87 m)		19 reps
All values from Penn State's pro day.[5]

Seattle Seahawks

Gilliam was signed by the Seattle Seahawks on May 10, 2014, after going undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft.[6] On May 11, 2014, the Seahawks signed Gilliam to a three-year, $1.54 million undrafted free agent contract that includes a signing bonus of $12,000.[7]

2014 season
Gilliam with the Seahawks in 2014

Gilliam made his NFL debut at offensive tackle on September 4, 2014, against the Green Bay Packers.[8] On October 5, 2014, he entered at left guard during the second half of the Seahawks' game against the Oakland Raiders after James Carpenter suffered an ankle injury. In the NFC Championship Game against the Packers, Gilliam caught his first career touchdown in the 3rd quarter from a pass by punter Jon Ryan. Throughout his rookie season, he received playing time during 14 games after multiple injuries to offensive linemen.[9]

2015 season

Gilliam began his second season as the backup left tackle behind Russell Okung. After starting right tackle Justin Britt was unable to perform well during the pre-season, Gilliam was moved into the starting position and earned it two weeks before the season opener against the St. Louis Rams. Britt was ultimately switched to left guard, with former left guard Alvin Bailey taking Gilliam's former position at backup left tackle. Throughout the first five weeks of the season he was the 74th-ranked offensive tackle in pass blocking and ranked 66th and run blocking. From weeks 5 to 10, he was ranked 75th in pass protection and 61st in run protection. He was ranked among the lowest throughout then season.[10]

On January 18, 2015, Gilliam caught a 19-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal attempt from punter Jon Ryan during the Seahawks' 28-22 overtime NFC Championship Game victory over the Green Bay Packers. It was his first career reception and touchdown.[11]

On March 14, 2016, he was awarded the fourth-largest amount of additional salary in the NFL's "performance-based pay" program receiving $329,384. The program pays players who play significant playing time and aren't compensated enough due to their contract. Gilliam received the fourth-largest amount since he started the entire season at right tackle, playing 98.05% of the Seahawks' offensive snaps, and was still being paid under his undrafted free-agent contract. His total salary was $839,384, instead of the $510,000 he was scheduled to earn.[12]

2016 season

Gilliam was slated to begin the season as the starting left tackle, after Russell Okung departed for the Denver Broncos via free agency in the off-season. With the Seahawks installing new starting offensive linemen at every position, Gilliam was moved to right tackle after free agent J'Marcus Webb twisted his knee in training camp. Free agent Bradley Sowell was then moved to the left tackle position since it was thought that Gilliam was better suited at right tackle than Sowell.[13]

On November 16, 2016, Seahawks' head coach Pete Carroll announced that there would be an open competition between Gilliam and Bradley Sowell for the starting right tackle position. Sowell had lost his starting left tackle position to undrafted rookie George Fant after he suffered a knee sprain that kept him out of four games. Two days later, Carroll announced that Gilliam will remain the starter against the Philadelphia Eagles.[14]

On December 4, 2016, it was reported that Gilliam, who had started the previous 27 games, had lost his starting right tackle position to Sowell during the week and would be a healthy scratch for the following game against the Carolina Panthers.[15] On December 15, 2016, the Seahawks benched Sowell in the fourth quarter of a 24-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams and had Gilliam enter the game in his place.[16] He remained the starting right tackle for the last two games of the season and finished his last season with the team appearing in 14 games with 13 starts.[17]

San Francisco 49ers

On April 17, 2017, the San Francisco 49ers signed Gilliam to a one-year, $2.2 million offer sheet. The following day, the Seahawks declined to match the offer, officially making Gilliam a member of the 49ers.[18] He played in eight games in 2017 before suffering a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve on November 7, 2017.[19]

On February 27, 2018, the 49ers signed Gillam to a two-year, $8 million contract extension with nearly $4 million guaranteed.[20]

On February 13, 2019, Gilliam was released by the 49ers.[21]

Personal life

Gilliam was born to Thelma Shifflet and Garry Gilliam Sr. and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has a brother, Victor, and a sister, Angel. He has a girlfriend, Jocelyn Bramlett. They have been dating since April 2015. In his spare time, he enjoys working on graphic designs and graduated from Penn State in December 2014 with a double major in advertising/public relations. He played tight end from the age of 7 to his senior year at Penn State. In high school, he qualified for state track and field championships and won a conference championship for the javelin.[22] He started a program in late 2019 named 'The Bridge' that uses abandoned buildings in the Harrisburg area and transforms them into 'Eco-Villages'.[23]

References
  1. "Garry Gilliam77". gopsusports.com. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  2. "Milton Hershey School Roots for Alum Garry Gilliam In His First NFL Game". bizjournals.com. September 4, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  3. "Garry Gilliam". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 5, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  4. Flare Farnsworth (September 30, 2014). "Seahawk's Tight Ends shuffle focuses on Luke Wilson, Cooper Helfet, and Garry Gilliam". Seahawks.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  5. "Garry Gilliam, DS #41 OT, Penn State". NFLDraftScout.com. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  6. "Garry Gilliam". kffl.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  7. "Sportrac.com:Garry Gilliam contract". Sportrac.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  8. "Milton Hershey School Roots for Alum Garry Gilliam In His First NFL Game". northcentralpa.com. September 4, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  9. Associated Press (November 4, 2014). "Seahawks' big 1st half enough in 30-24 victory over winless Raiders". foxnews.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  10. Danny Kelly (August 17, 2015). "Seahawks tinkering with Justin Britt at LG, Garry Gilliam at RT". fieldgulls.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  11. Drovetto, Tony (January 18, 2015). "Jon Ryan, Garry Gilliam team up for touchdown on Seahawks fake field goal vs Green Bay Packers". seahawks.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  12. Bob Condotta (March 14, 2016). "Garry Gilliam leads the list of Seahawks who earned performances based bonuses in 2015". SeattleTimes.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  13. John Boyle (September 5, 2016). "Garry Gilliam to start at right tackle and other take ways from Pete Carroll's pres conference". Seahawks.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  14. Derek Lewis (November 18, 2016). "Pete Carroll: Garry Gilliam will start at right tackle". sea.247sports.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  15. Bob Condotta (December 4, 2016). "Seahawk's inactives Vs. Panthers: OT Garry Gilliam amongst those out". Seattle times.com. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  16. Danny O'Neil (December 24, 2016). "Inactives: Bradley Sowell's turn to sit for Seahawks vs. Cardinals". sports.mynorthwest.com. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  17. "NFL Player Profile: Garry Gilliam". NFL.com. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  18. "Seahawks OT Garry Gilliam signs with 49ers". NFL.com. April 18, 2017.
  19. "49ers Sign DB Antone Exum Jr., Place OL Garry Gilliam on Injured Reserve". 49ers.com. November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018.
  20. Hagemann, Andie (February 27, 2018). "Niners sign OL Garry Gilliam to two-year extension". NFL.com.
  21. "49ers Release OL Garry Gilliam". 49ers.com. February 13, 2019.
  22. "Penn State Athletics Bio: Garry Gilliam". PSUsports.com. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  23. https://local21news.com/news/local/garry-gilliam-releases-plans-for-his-new-startup-called-the-bridge
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