John Stallworth

Infobox NFLretired


caption=
position=Wide Receiver
number=82
birthdate=birth date and age|1952|7|15
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
debutyear=1974
finalyear=1987
draftyear=1974
draftround=4
draftpick=82
college=Alabama A&M
teams=
* Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-1987)
stat1label=Receptions
stat1value=537
stat2label=Receiving Yards
stat2value=8,723
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=63
nfl=STA285936
highlights=
* 4x Pro Bowl selection (1979, 1982, 1983, 1984)
* 2x All-Pro selection (1979, 1984)
* 4x Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)
* 1984 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
HOF=199

Johnny Lee Stallworth (Born July 15, 1952, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) is a retired wide receiver who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, becoming the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships, and went to four Super Bowls. His career statistics were an impressive 537 receptions for 8,723 yards and 63 TDs. His receptions were a franchise record until it was surpassed by Hines Ward in 2005. Stallworth played in four Pro Bowls and was the Steelers' two-time MVP.

A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Stallworth was an All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference receiver for Alabama A&M in 1972 and 1973. He is related to Ronnie Stallworth Sr. (cousin).

Stallworth, blessed with great leaping ability and excellent speed, was the 82nd player taken that year. After a rookie year as an understudy, he became a starter in his second season and held that job for the rest of his 165-game career. Stallworth did battle a series of fibula, foot, ankle, knee and hamstring injuries that forced him to miss 44 regular-season games.

He is best remembered for his actions in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XIII, he caught a record-tying 75-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw that would later be a crucial touchdown in a 35-31 Steelers win over the Dallas Cowboys. He suffered leg cramps later and played sparingly in the second half, finishing with 3 receptions for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns

One year later, at Super Bowl XIV with the Steelers trailing the Los Angeles Rams 19-17 early in the fourth quarter, Steelers' coach Chuck Noll called for "60-Prevent-Slot-Hook-And-Go," a play the Steelers failed in practice prior to the big game. With 12 minutes remaining, Bradshaw dropped back and threw it long to Stallworth, who caught it and beat Rod Perry to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown that would pave the way for the Steelers' 31-19 win and their fourth world championship. That amazing catch put Stallworth on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Overall, he recorded 3 receptions for 121 yards in the game.

Stallworth holds the Super Bowl records for career average per catch (24.4 yards) and single-game average, 40.33 yards in Super Bowl XIV. He had 12 touchdown receptions and a string of 17 straight games with a reception in post-season play. Stallworth also scored touchdowns in eight straight playoff games at one point (1978-1983), an NFL record.

He led the AFC with a career-high 1,395 yards gained on 80 receptions in 1984, when he was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He helped the Steelers defeat eventual Super Bowl Champion San Francisco for their only loss of the season and led the Steelers in a surprising playoff run that featured an upset win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Playoffs at Denver's Mile High Stadium. The next week, the Steelers fell one game short of reaching Super Bowl XIX by losing to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game.

Stallworth earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Alabama A&M University.

In 1986, he founded Madison Research Corporation (MRC). The company specialized in providing engineering and information technology services to government and commercial clients. Under Stallworth's leadership, MRC grew to more than 650 employees and $69.5 million in revenues(FY03). MRC manages six regional offices: Huntsville, Alabama (headquarters); Warner Robins, Georgia; Orlando, Florida and Shalimar, Florida; Montgomery, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Dayton, Ohio. In October 2006, the sale of MRC to WFI was completed, and at that time it was announced that Stallworth would pursue other interests. [ [http://ir.wfinet.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=213110&Section=IR Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. - WFI Announces Close On Acquisition of Madison Research Corporation and Secures a New Credit Facility of $85 Million ] ]

Stallworth was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2002.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.madisonresearch.com/aboutmrc/stallworth.asp Madison Research Corporation biography]
* [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=199 John Stallworth player page at Pro Football Hall of Fame]