Career
In 1965, he was traded to the Buffalo Bills for their legendary fullback, Cookie Gilchrist, and made the American Federation of Labor-Congress All-Star Team, starting for the Bills in their 1965 American Federation of Labor-Congress Championship victory over the San Diego Chargers. Joe later was a successful college head coach for 33 seasons. He coached at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania from 1972 to 1978, Central State University from 1981 to 1993, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University from 1994 to 2004, and Miles College from 2007 to 2010.
He teams at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical have made various appearances in the Division I-Associate of Arts (now FCS) playoffs during the 1990s and early 2000s.
In 2007 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The number of players who were coached by Joe who went on to the NFL/Canadian Football League/Arena League are:
Central State University: Vince Buck, Vince Heflin, Erik Williams and Hugh Douglas
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical: Jamie Brown, Jamie Nails, Terry Mickens, Dexter Nottage, Wally Williams, and Quinn Gray
After a two-season absence as a coach, Joe was named head football coach at Miles College, a Division II school in Fairfield, Alabama on December 12, 2007.
He resigned in October 2010, citing poor health. Assistant coach Patrick Peasant took over the team on an interim basis.
He finished his career with 243 wins 133 losses, 2 ties.
His number of victories are second only to Eddie Robinson among coaches at historically black colleges and universities.