Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Gilmer attended and played high school football at its Woodlawn High School. … See more

After high school, Gilmer played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was the left halfback from 1944 to 1947. As a freshman, he was 8 for 8 in passing attempts during a loss against Duke University in … See more

Gilmer was the first overall pick in the 1948 NFL draft, selected by the Washington Redskins, where he played from 1948 to 1954. He then was traded to the Detroit Lions for Bert Zagers and Bob Trout, where he played in … See more

After retiring as a player, Gilmer became an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers under Parker in 1957. After four years there and four with the Minnesota Vikings under Norm Van Brocklin, he succeeded George Wilson as … See more