Joe Ehrmann 2019

Athlete Riverside

While many professional athletes “give back” to their communities with involvement in charities and youth groups, few have demonstrated the life altering commitment evident in the post-gridiron career of Joe Ehrmann, whose humanitarian efforts on behalf of the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden outweigh the significant achievements of an outstanding professional football career.

“The pride of Riverside”, Joe was a four-year starter at Riverside High on both sides of the ball.  A high school All-American and All-Western New York selection his senior year, Ehrmann sparked Riverside to four Harvard Cup Championships. At Syracuse University, Joe was a four-year starter on the defensive line, an All-American in his junior year, and was selected to the University’s All-Century team in 1999.

The Baltimore Colts selected Ehrmann with the 10th overall pick in a rich NFL draft in 1973.  By 1975, Joe was the anchor of a fearsome defensive line, which led the league in sacks and propelled the Colts to a rapid rise to the top of the AFC standings.  Ehrmann played in the Pro Bowl in 1976, and starred for several       outstanding Colts teams until 1980.  A stint with the Detroit Lions rounded out his NFL career and he played three more seasons in the USFL before hanging up his spikes.

The word “hero” is easily the most abused in sports.  The heroes among us are not those blessed with physical skills, but those who use those abilities and their       resultant position in life to better the lives of the less fortunate.  The Rev. Joe     Ehrmann possesses those skills in abundance.