Joe O'Malley

Joseph Patrick O'Malley (January 1, 1932 – March 20, 2015) was an American football defensive end who played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Georgia.[1][2]

Joe O'Malley
No. 85
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born:(1932-01-01)January 1, 1932
Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died:March 20, 2015(2015-03-20) (aged 83)
Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school:Scranton (PA) Tech
College:Georgia
NFL Draft:1955 / Round: 4 / Pick: 47
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early years

O'Malley played high school football at Scranton Technical High School in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He earned all-scholastic honors and was the player of the game for the 1950 Scranton Lions Club Dream Game. He also participated in basketball and track and field. In basketball, he set several Lackawanna League scoring records, was widely considered one of the top inside players and was named to The Scranton Times All-Regional team twice. O'Malley was undefeated in the high jump his senior season and also competed in the 440-yard dash, broad jump and the shot put.[1]

College career

O'Malley played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. He earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors his sophomore year. He also competed in track and field. He was named a team captain, earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors and was an honorable mention All-American his senior year.[1] In 1999, he was inducted into the University of Georgia Hall of Fame.[3]

Professional career

O'Malley was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 47th pick in the 1955 NFL Draft.[4] He was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, appearing in 22 games and starting 9 from 1955 to 1956.[4]

Coaching career

O'Malley became football, basketball, and athletic director at Brown High School in Atlanta, Georgia after his playing career. The basketball team won the AAA state championship in his first year. He was named Class AAA Coach of the Year by the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association in 1968.[5]

Personal life

O'Malley married Sally Dodson in 1956, they had one daughter Shawn O’Malley, then separated and divorced in 1959. He then married schoolteacher Joyce Ervin on August 3, 1960.[6] The couple lived in Conyers, Georgia and had three children Karen, Joseph II and Mike. O'Malley began working at General Wholesale Company in 1970 and retired from the company in 1994.[7] O'Malley was a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Conyers.[5]

After death, O'Malley was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.[8] He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with this disease, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.[9][10]

References
  1. Fawcett, Joby (March 24, 2015). "Local football legend Joe O'Malley dies". thetimes-tribune.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  2. "Joseph Patrick O'Malley". oldestlivingprofootball.com. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  3. Hannon, Shane (April 19, 1999). "Carr to speak at UGA banquet". onlineathens.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. "JOE O'MALLEY". profootballarchives.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  5. "Joseph O'malley". The Montgomery Advertiser. legacy.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "Miss Joyce Ervin To Wed Joseph Patrick O'Malley". The Montgomery Advertiser. July 17, 1960. p. 30. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  7. Asher, Gene (2005). Legends: Georgians who Lived Impossible Dreams. Mercer University Press. ISBN 9780865549777.
  8. "110 N.F.L. Brains". New York Times. July 25, 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  9. "The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)". Concussion Legacy Foundation. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  10. Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller (June 20, 2023). "Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
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