He was arrested in New Orleans in 1976 for possession of a gun and cocaine. The New Orleans Saints then signed Gilliam, but he was cut in both 1976 and 1977, then played with the semi-pro Pittsburgh Wolf Pak, but quit in August 1978, after playing in just six games. He returned to semi-pro in 1979 with the Baltimore Eagles in the Atlantic Football Conference, but his season would take a couple of bizarre turns: first, an abortive attempt to jump to the Alabama Vulcans of the American Football Association ended when he borrowed the Vulcans' owner's Cadillac and failed to return it; then, after Gilliam went back to Baltimore, he was attacked by four men, who dragged him out of his parked car and repeatedly hit him on the head. Gilliam returned to football in 1981, playing quarterback for the semi-pro New Orleans Blue Knights of the Dixie Football League. He played with the Blue Knights for six seasons while working the docks of New Orleans, loading and unloading barges.
