John Stallworth is giving back to the school that helped him become an NFL receiver, four-time Super Bowl winner, and Pro Football Hall of Famer. Stallworth delivered the commencement speech at his alma mater Alabama A&M earlier this week and also made a massive donation of more than $1.2 million to the university.
The donation came from him and his wife, Flo, earmarked for the school’s foundation. Per the school’s website, the money will go to create the Stallworth Scholars program to help pay for the tuition of future students.
“The gift from the John Stallworth Foundation confirms the dedication that our alums have to this institution,” A&M president Daniel Wims said. “Not only is this impactful to our institution but it assists with the solidification of our growing brand and reputation. We commend the Stallworths for their continued support and commitment to their alma mater and for having the foresight to secure educational opportunities for our students.”
Stallworth played wide receiver for the Bulldogs in the early 1970s, starring there before being drafted by the Steelers in 1974. He was part of the greatest draft class in NFL history, selected the same year as Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, and Mike Webster while Donnie Shell was added as an undrafted free agent.
A fourth-round pick, the story goes Bill Nunn stuck around an extra day to get Stallworth’s 40 time on a dry track after he ran in the rain in front of scouts the day before. Nunn is also said to have held onto Stallworth’s scouting tape, making it harder for other teams to watch him. But Pittsburgh scouted HBCUs like Alabama A&M more than any other team, finding gems like Stallworth, Shell, and others.
Stallworth credited A&M for setting him up for success after his football career was done. Since retiring, he’s gone on to become a successful businessman and has an ownership stake in the Steelers.
“I left A&M with a bachelor’s degree in business and returned in the offseason to receive my MBA all in preparation for realizing my dream of having my own business,” he said via HBCU Gameday’s Tolly Carr.
Stallworth played for the Steelers his entire career. Appearing in 165 games, he caught 537 passes for 8,723 yards and 63 touchdowns. He still ranks top five in team history in every major receiving category. A three-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro, and four-time Super Bowl champ, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. Even with his success, he hasn’t forgotten his roots, and his generosity is commendable.
