Football

A man who police said is former Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Joe Gilliam was arrested after allegedly robbing a restaurant in Shreveport, La.

The man at first identified himself as Thomas Alderman, “but, this morning, upon further investigation, he told us that he is Joe Gilliam II and gave his address as New Orleans,” police spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick said.

“We located his car in Shreveport and it is registered to both Gilliam and his father, Joe Gilliam Sr. of Nashville, Tenn.

“The only thing we have not done at this point is match fingerprints. But for purposes of prosecution, he has been booked as Joe Gilliam II of New Orleans.”

Chadwick said that the FBI would be consulted Monday. She said calls to the Steelers convinced investigators that the suspect is Gilliam, a Steeler quarterback from 1970 to 1975.

The man was booked into the Shreveport City Jail after robbing a Church’s Fried Chicken restaurant of a small amount of money about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Chadwick said.

“He walked up to the window, placed an order and, when the employee turned his back, he reached in the window with a knife,” Chadwick said. “He took a small amount of money and took off on foot, but a patrol officer arrested him about a block away.”