 Hillebrand in 1965 | |
| No. 87, 69 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 28, 1940 Davenport, Iowa, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Central (Davenport) |
| College: | Colorado |
| NFL draft: | 1962: 1st round, 13th pick |
| AFL draft: | 1962: 2nd round, 10th pick |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Gerald John Hillebrand (born March 28, 1940) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL).
Born and raised in Davenport, Iowa, Hillebrand played scholastically at Central High School. [1] He played collegiately for the Colorado Buffaloes, [2] where, as a senior, he was honored as a first-team All-American by both the Associated Press (AP) and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). [3] [4]
Hillebrand was selected by the New York Giants in the first round (13th overall) of the 1962 NFL draft. [5] He was also selected in the second round (10th overall) of the 1962 AFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. [6]
He chose to sign with the Giants, but his rookie training camp was interrupted by a six month hitch in the Marine Corp, from February to August. As a result, he saw no playing time in 1962. [7] He spent the 1963 through 1966 seasons with the Giants, starting 32 of the 49 games in which he appeared. He intercepted nine passes, returning three for touchdowns. [8]
Hillebrand was with the St. Louis Cardinals for one uneventful year in 1967. He finished his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1968 - 1970). Overall he logged 14 career interceptions and 5 fumble recoveries. [8]
Hillebrand is no relation to the Giants' 1944 first-round draft pick, Billy Hillenbrand.
