William Orland Kilmer Jr. (born September 5, 1939) is an American former professional
football
player who was a
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) for the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
,
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
, and
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. He was also used as a
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Ther ...
and
wide receiver. He played
college football at
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
, then 18 seasons as a professional. In 1964, while playing running back for the 49ers, Kilmer played a supporting role in one of the most infamous incidents in gridiron history when Vikings defensive lineman
Jim Marshall ran Kilmer's fumble back 66 yards into the
wrong end zone.
Early life
Born in
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central U ...
, Kilmer was raised in
southern California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and played baseball, football, and basketball at
Citrus Union High School in
Azusa Azusa may refer to:
Relating to California
From a Native American language, likely Tongva language, Tongva ''Asuksagna:''
*Azusa, California, a city in the United States
*Azusa Pacific University, a Christian-based institution in Azusa, California
...
, scoring more than 1,500 points in the latter sport while earning
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
n honors. His baseball exploits saw him win all-conference accolades, while the poor fortunes of his football squad saw him relegated to third-team all-conference recognition.
College career
After graduation from high school in 1957, Kilmer competed in football for one year at
Citrus Junior College, where he scored six touchdowns and threw for 15 more, with a broken foot limiting his playing time for the Citrus basketball team. He transferred to
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
in
1958
Events
January
* January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being.
* January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
* January 4
** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...
and played three seasons. Kilmer also played on the
Bruins basketball team in
1959–60 under head coach
John Wooden. He capped off his college career with an outstanding senior season in
1960: he threw for over 1,000 yards, ran for over 800, scored eight touchdowns and served as the team's punter. Kilmer was also awarded the 1960
W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast, and finished fifth in voting for the
Heisman Trophy.
After the conclusion of a UCLA career that saw him finish among the top five in school history for passing and rushing yards, as well as total offense, Kilmer played in the 1961
College All-Star Game, where he earned Most Valuable Player honors. He was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. There is some lingering controversy over exactly which position he played. His Hall of Fame plaque lists him as a halfback and says he "played
tailback in UCLA's
single-wing formation
In American and Canadian football, a single-wing formation was a precursor to the modern spread or shotgun formation. The term usually connotes formations in which the snap is tossed rather than handed—formations with one wingback and a h ...
." Other sources list him as a quarterback.
Professional career
San Francisco 49ers
Kilmer was the 11th overall selection of the
1961 NFL draft
The 1961 National Football League draft took place at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia on December 27–28, 1960. The league would later hold an expansion draft for the Minnesota Vikings expansion franchise. This draft was also the first reg ...
, taken by the
49ers. He was also selected in the fifth round of the
1961 AFL Draft by the
San Diego Chargers, but signed with San Francisco on December 30, 1960. During that rookie season in
1961, he saw action as a primarily running quarterback in Red Hickey's shotgun formation, rushing for 509 yards and ten touchdowns, with his top performance coming against the expansion
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on October 15 when he rushed for four touchdowns.
The following year Kilmer was primarily used as a running back but his season came to an early end following a December 5 auto accident in which he fell asleep in his 1957 Chevrolet convertible and drove off the
Bayshore Freeway into the
San Francisco Bay.
Suffering a fractured leg, Kilmer's injury was bad enough to also force him to sit out the entire
1963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League.
On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras indefinitely fo ...
. He was able to return the following year, but his production was limited. His most memorable play as a 49er came in
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...
during a game against the
Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...
at
Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium is an outdoor athletics stadium in San Francisco, California, located adjacent to Kezar Pavilion in the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park. It is the former home of the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders (first AFL s ...
. On October 25, 1964 Kilmer fumbled after catching a pass from
George Mira. The fumble was recovered by Vikings defensive end
Jim Marshall, who infamously
ran 66 yards in the wrong direction. In spite of Marshall's gaffe, the Vikings still beat the 49ers, 27-22.
After he saw no action in 1965 and was involved in a training camp contract dispute the next season, Kilmer was placed in the
1967 NFL Expansion Draft The 1967 National Football League expansion draft was a National Football League (NFL) draft held on February 9, 1967 in which a new expansion team named the New Orleans Saints selected its first players. On November 1, 1966 (All Saints Day), NFL o ...
.
New Orleans Saints
On February 10, 1967, Kilmer was selected in the expansion draft by the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
and, despite originally being thought of as the team's third-best signal caller, became the team's starting quarterback for much of the next four seasons. He was the starter for the team's first game, a 27-13 loss at home to the
Los Angeles Rams. Kilmer lost his starting job in 1967 after the first three games (all losses), and was replaced by former
Baltimore Colt quarterback
Gary Cuozzo. However, Kilmer regained that job in
1968.
His most prolific performance during his four-year stint with the team came in
1969, when he threw for 345 yards and six touchdowns in a 51–42 win over the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
on November 2.
Kilmer's last win as the Saints' starting quarterback came on week 8 of the
1970 season. Coach
Tom Fears
Thomas Jesse Fears (December 3, 1922 – January 4, 2000) was a Mexican-American professional football player who was a split end for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL), playing nine seasons from 1948 to 1956. He was lat ...
had benched Kilmer after three season-opening losses in favor of backup
Ed Hargett. However, Fears was fired after week 7 and replaced by
J.D. Roberts
John David Roberts (October 24, 1932 – May 25, 2021) was an American college and professional football coach. He was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL) from the middle of the 1970 season until his ...
. The new coach brought Kilmer back as the starting quarterback. On November 8, 1970, in a home game versus the
Detroit Lions, Kilmer led what proved to be a game-winning drive, although he could only bring the Saints as far as their own 44 yard line. With just one play left in the game, and his team down by a 17-16 margin, coach Roberts opted against asking Kilmer to go for a "Hail Mary" pass. Instead, kicker
Tom Dempsey
Thomas John Dempsey (January 12, 1947April 4, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Oilers and ...
, who had earlier in the second half kicked an 8-yard field goal, was asked to attempt a 63-yard field goal. (The goal posts were still placed on the goal line in 1970, and not on the end line as they are today.) Dempsey made the kick, which broke the existing record by 7 yards. Only two longer field goals have been kicked since.
In a 2016 TV interview, recorded during a celebration of the Saints' 50th anniversary, Kilmer denied lingering rumors that he had been Dempsey's holder. "I got out of the holding business a while ago," Kilmer recalled, "but it was
Joe Scarpati and it was a perfect hold." (Scarpati was a reserve defensive back.) Kilmer added, "when
empseykicked that ball, I knew he had made it. It was like
Babe Ruth
George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...
hitting a 500-foot home run. He really nailed it. And that was at
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...
."
This dramatic victory is still the stuff of legend today. Dempsey was a big man who had been a lineman in junior college and semi-pro ball, even though he was born with no toes on his right foot, which was his kicking foot. He used a special flat-fronted kicking shoe. This win proved to be the only highlight of an otherwise dismal 2-11-1 season: Kilmer closed out the season by leading the Saints to six consecutive losses.
Frustrated after four years of the Saints' futility and sensing New Orleans would draft
Ole Miss star
Archie Manning
Elisha Archibald Manning III (born May 19, 1949) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New Orleans Saints. He played for the Saints from 1971 to 1982 and al ...
with the second overall pick of the
1971 NFL Draft
The 1971 National Football League draft was held January 28–29, 1971, at the Belmont Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York. The Boston Patriots, who did not officially change their name to New England Patriots until after the draft, used th ...
, Kilmer asked to be traded and was granted his wish on January 23, 1971, when he was dealt to the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
for linebacker
Tom Roussel and two draft selections.
Washington Redskins
The trade which brought Kilmer to the Redskins was the first trade the team made after
George Allen George Allen may refer to:
Politics and law
* George E. Allen (1896–1973), American political operative and one-time head coach of the Cumberland University football team
* George Allen (Australian politician) (1800–1877), Mayor of Sydney and ...
replaced Bill Austin (who had been the interim head coach since Vince Lombardi's untimely death in August 1970) as the head coach.
Kilmer seemed destined for a reserve role behind future
Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen. However, this changed when Jurgensen suffered a severe shoulder injury in a pre-season game against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
. Kilmer got the starting job and kept it for most of the next four seasons, but Jurgensen stayed on as his backup. The two players were friendly rivals during those years. Fans in Washington tended to be loyal to one quarterback or the other, sporting buttons at games that read "I like Billy" or "I like Sonny", with Kilmer's wobbly passes being a slight favorite over Jurgensen's tight spiral.
Kilmer then led the resurgent Redskins to a 5-0 start in
1971, but then the team ran into a midseason slump. Kilmer briefly lost his starting job as a result of the slide but regained it after Jurgensen again injured his shoulder. The next season, Kilmer led the
1972 team to an NFC-best 11–3 record, while also leading the NFL in touchdown passes (19) and passer rating (84.8). In the postseason, Washington advanced to the
Super Bowl with their first postseason victories in 27 years. The final opponent would be the unbeaten
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
, who were one win away from a
Perfect season
A perfect season is a sports season, including any requisite playoff portion, in which a team remains and finishes undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the ...
. Miami managed the strength of their rushing attack and selective passing from
Bob Griese to two touchdowns while Washington had nothing to show for most of the game. Only a special-teams blunder saved the first shutout in Super Bowl history, as a blocked field goal-turned-fumble with two minutes remaining in the game by
Garo Yepremian
Garabed Sarkis "Garo" Yepremian (June 2, 1944 – May 15, 2015) was a Cypriot-Armenian American football placekicker who played in the National Football League for 15 seasons, primarily with the Miami Dolphins. During his nine seasons in Mia ...
was recovered by
Mike Bass
Michael Thomas Bass (born March 31, 1945) is a former American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) as a cornerback for the Washington Redskins from 1969 through 1975. He appeared in 104 consecutive games for the Reds ...
of Washington for a touchdown. However, Washington could not finish the comeback, as Kilmer was sacked by
Vern Den Herder as time expired with the team far from the end zone. For his part, Kilmer went 14-of-28 for 104 yards with three interceptions. The loss didn't dampen Kilmer's individual recognition as he was named to the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
and the All-NFC Team.
In
1974, the Redskins acquired a third quarterback in
Notre Dame star
Joe Theismann who had been a star in the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
for three seasons. Kilmer beat out both Jurgensen and Theismann for the starting job. Jurgensen retired at the end of the 1974 season. Kilmer remained with the Redskins until he retired after the
1978 season. 1978 was also the season when Theismann finally took over Kilmer's starting quarterback position, although Kilmer did start two games that season, winning one of them.
During his time with the Redskins, Kilmer became one of the few remaining users of a single-bar
face mask on the
helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...
, as multi-bar face masks became the norm in the NFL. Theismann also wore the single-bar throughout his career. Kilmer finished his 18-year NFL career with 1,585 completions in 2,984 attempts for 20,495 yards and 154 touchdowns, with 146 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,509 yards and 21 touchdowns, caught 27 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown, and punted the ball 16 times for 598 yards.
Problems with alcohol
It was during the 1970 season, his last in New Orleans, that rumors stirred that Kilmer missed curfew before a game against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
and that his Saints teammates had nicknamed him "Ole Whiskey."
That reputation had been noted by Saints owner
John Mecom, Jr., who mentioned Kilmer's many late-hour visits to New Orleans bars while playing for the team.
Kilmer's most memorable night on the town came early Monday morning December 6, 1971 after beating the
Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
*Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'gi ...
23–7. He got arrested at the
Toddle House
Toddle House was a national quick service restaurant restaurant chain, chain in the United States, which specialized in breakfast but was open 24/7. Lunch and dinner entrées included soups and salads and various sandwiches. Much of their business ...
, a coffee shop in
Arlington, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county ...
. Apparently, Kilmer and unidentified female friend attempted to pay a $4 tab with a $100 bill and an argument ensued with their waitress.
A local police officer named Edmund D. Sheroshick showed up, and Kilmer, told the policeman, “If you think I’m wrong, put me in jail!” Officer Sheroshick did exactly that, but Kilmer was released in plenty of time for his next team practice. In the next few days, Kilmer won the hearts of fans by leading the Redskins to a 38-24 victory over the
Los Angeles Rams on ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
'' which clinched a playoff berth, and also by telling the waitress she could keep the $100 as a tip. Ironically, Officer Sheroshick was disciplined after getting into an altercation of his own on early
Christmas Eve morning at the exact same Toddle House. Even though he was off-duty and was not drunk, the officer had violated his department's rules by driving his
cruiser while drinking.
On December 11,
1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 ...
, Kilmer was arrested for drunk driving less than two days before a game against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
. He was released in time to lead the Redskins to a 27-13 victory on Sunday, December 12, on the road at
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof (Cowboy ...
.
Post-playing career
Following his retirement, Kilmer stayed on the fringes while working for a gambling service that made selections on NFL games, but has since stayed out of the spotlight. Kilmer served as coach of the Shreveport Steamers of the
American Football Association (a summer professional league) in 1979 and commissioner of the same league in 1981, but left as a result of numerous problems under his tenure as well as a lack of payment. He occasionally makes appearances in
Mobile, Alabama, in support of the
GMAC Bowl
The LendingTree Bowl is a postseason NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game that has been played annually in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. In 2021, the game was moved from Ladd-Peebles Stadium to Hancock Whitney Stadium, on the c ...
.
Kilmer was inducted into th
American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987
See also
*
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilmer, Billy
1939 births
Living people
American football quarterbacks
New Orleans Saints players
People from Azusa, California
San Francisco 49ers players
UCLA Bruins football players
UCLA Bruins men's basketball players
Washington Redskins players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
Players of American football from California
Shreveport Steamer coaches
Sportspeople from Los Angeles County, California
American men's basketball players