Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

 
Joe Walton was All-WPIAL and All-State at Beaver Falls High School, then earned a scholarship to play football for the Pitt Panthers. A consensus All-American tight end, he set career and single season TD marks. Walton helped Pitt to the Sugar and Gator Bowls, and was named to the Hula Bowl, and the East-West Shrine and College All-Star Games. In the NFL, Joe was known as a sure-handed tight end starring for the Redskins and Giants. He snared 178 passes for 2,623 yards and 28 touchdowns. He still shares the record for touchdown receptions by a tight end with 3 in one game, accomplishing the feat twice. The second time was when he hauled in Y.A. Tittle’s recording-setting seventh TD toss of the day. An assistant with the Redskins and Giants, Walton was Head Coach of the New York Jets between 1983 and 1989. Under Chuck Noll, Joe was the Steelers’ Offensive Coordinator for two seasons. Then in 1993, he created the football program at Robert Morris that eventually won two Mid-Major National Championships. His 2000 squad finished perfect at 10-0 and his 2010 team received the Northeast Conference’s first-ever berth in the FCS Playoffs. The stadium that RMU constructed in 2005 is named in Joe’s honor.