Jimmy Joe Robinson, Pitt's 1st Black varsity football player, dies at 97
Jimmy Joe Robinson, the first Black varsity football player at Pitt, died Monday at the age of 97, the university announced Wednesday afternoon.
Robinson was born in Connellsville and debuted with the Panthers in 1945, when Pitt finished 3-7 under coach Clark Shaughnessy.
He lettered at Pitt for two additional seasons in 1947 and ‘48 before being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (No. 39 overall) of the 1950 NFL Draft.
Robinson’s time playing professional football, interrupted by Korean War service, included a stint in 1953 with the Steelers as well as the Montreal Alouettes of the former Interprovincial Rugby Football Union in Canada.
The Panthers mourned the loss of a trailblazing alumnus, whom they credited with paving the way for future generations of student-athletes.
“Jimmy Joe didn’t just wear the uniform, he wore the weight of history, and he carried it with strength and grace,” coach Pat Narduzzi said in a release. “He helped change this program forever.”
Later in life, Robinson became a reverend.
Justin Guerriero is a TribLive reporter covering the Penguins, Pirates and college sports. A Pittsburgh native, he is a Central Catholic and University of Colorado graduate. He joined the Trib in 2022 after covering the Colorado Buffaloes for Rivals and freelancing for the Denver Post. He can be reached at jguerriero@triblive.com.
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