Joe DeLamielleure Joseph Michael DeLamielleure ( born March 16 , 1951 in Detroit , Michigan ) is a former American football offensive lineman who was an All - America n at Michigan State . He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft . He won All - Rookie Honors , after finding out a physical condition with his irregular heartbeat was not serious . In 1973 the Buffalo Bills rushing offense led the NFL in yards , yards per carry , as well as rushing touchdowns . DeLamielleure was perhaps the central figure in the " , " the Bills ' offensive line that paved the way for O . J . Simpson to rush for 2 , 003 yards in 1973 , the first player ever to break that barrier , and the only player ever to do so in a 14 - game schedule . The league leading rushing yardage mark of 3 , 088 yards is still the 14 - game record . Only the 1978 New England Patriots have bettered that mark and did it in 16 games . Individually , O . J . Simpson led the NFL in all four major rushing categories , a " quadruple crown " . He also had the longest run in the NFL . The 2003 Yards Simpson rushed for is still the 14 game record ( Eric Dickerson , Barry Sanders and Terrell Davis achieved their marks in 16 games ) . Joe was also on the kickoff return team that blocked for Wallace Francis , who led NFL with 2 TD returns . DeLamielleure played on the wedge of the kickoff return team his entire career in Buffalo . The following year , 1974 , the Bills improved to 9 - 5 and made the playoffs . DeLamielleure was voted second - team All - Pro . In 1975 the Bills displayed one of most potent offenses of the decade . They led NFL in eleven categories , including total offense , rushing , rushing average , points , touchdowns and touchdown passes en route to an 8 - 6 record . The offensive line also allowed the fewest sacks in AFC . Simpson , behind the " Electric Company " achieves his second " quadruple crown " in three years and also had longest run in NFL . Individually , DeLamielleure is named First - team All - Pro . Six times he was named All - Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl six times . In 1975 he was named by the NFLPA as Offensive Lineman of the Year . In 1973 he was Co - Offensive Linemen of the Year as awarded by the 1000 Yard Rusher Club , Columbus , Ohio . In 1977 Joe received Forrest Gregg Award as NFL ' s Top Offensive Lineman . In 1980 DeLamielleure was traded to the Cleveland Browns where he blocked for his 2nd NFL MVP , Brian Sipe . DeLamielleure becomes first player ever to block for a 2 , 000 yard rusher and a 4 , 000 yard passer . Of those who have done it since , ( Jackie Slater , Doug Smith , Irv Pankey , Kevin Glover , and Tom Nalen ) only DeLamielleure ' s duo were NFL MVPs and the passer ( Sipe ) also won the NFL passing crown . Also , the 1980 Browns offensive line led NFL in allowing the lowest sacks percentage and blocked for a 1000 yard runner ( Mike Pruitt ) . During his five years with Cleveland , he played every game . In 1979 he was named the NFL ' s All - Decade Team . He played his final year in the NFL , 1985 , back with the Buffalo Bills . Joe D . vs . Mean Joe . DeLamielleure faced Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene eight times in his career . Since Joe D . was a right guard and Mean Joe was a left defensive tackle , they met head - to - head . Although one offensive lineman is not 100 % responsible for the opponent on every play , it is notable that Joe Greene averaged only 2 tackles per game against Joe D . Date of game ― Solo tackles , Sacks by Joe Greene ( team rushing yards , average , sacks allowed ) Joe Greene ' s total : 8 games ― 15 solo tackles , 1 sack In 1992 , Joe had a short stint with the Charlotte Rage of the Arena Football League . DeLamielleure was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003 and was inducted to the East - West Shrine Game Hall of Fame in 2007 . Joe had an argument with Gene Upshaw , the head of the Players Union , about retired NFL player ' s pensions up until Upshaw ' s death in August 2008 . DeLamielleure currently promotes the All - American Football League , a spring league that is hoping to fill a void of the now defunct NFL Europe . The AAFL plans to take collegiate players provided they ' ve earned a four - year college degree . DeLamielleure and his two former college teammates at Michigan State will embark on a bicycle ride from East Lansing , Michigan to the site of “ The City of the Children " orphanage in Mexico . The bike tour is to raise funds needed to complete construction and provide the necessary resources to support the abandoned , abused and neglected children of that region .